Like You
by sarahalliwell
Summary: Bella Tonks wants revenge. But she had to flee to Forks with her father to protect him. As she meets Edward and his family, how will they react to her secret? Who's willing to fight for the Wizarding World with her?
1. Chapter 1

_Hey everyone! Look at me posting a new story lol. _

_Anyways, I never tried my hand at a crossover, so I hope it is good._

_**A few things you should know before reading**:_

_- This is set in Deathly Hallows for Harry Potter but is not set in any of the Twilight books; I changed pretty much most of the story line, but kept the essencials; they will be a bit out of character. _

_- This will be mostly cannon pairings: so Edward/Bella, Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, Tonks/Lupin and so on. I will not get Bella to fall for anyone else, so please do not ask. _

_- There will be no wolves. I am not a fan of the pack (for Twilight) so I do not include them in most of my stories. Again, please do not ask for them. _

**_- I got a few ideas from A. E. Giggle - her stories are amazing: The Secret Keeper and The Wisdom Seeker - check them out. I have talked to her and informed her that I did get some inspiration to write this from her stories and I asked her if I could use one of her ideas and she AGREED so PLEASE do not go bother her saying I have COPIED her work. I have done no such thing and I have her permission to use her idea. If you have any problems concerning that, come talk to ME, do not bother her. _**

_- I will be explaining things from the Harry Potter world a lot (not so much Twilight because I will mostly base it in HP), to situate those that do not know much about it. All my information I got from the Harry Potter books, and any other book published by Rowling, like: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; I also got information from Harry Potter Wiki at harrypotter(dot)wikia(dot)com.  
_

_- The title was inspired by Evanescence's song 'Like You'. It was not chosen at random, that's all I have to say.  
_

_I hope you enjoy this._

_Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. I just like to play with their characters.  
_

* * *

Chapter 1

I snuggled closer to Edward and sighed in contentment. If anyone had told me a year ago that I would fall in love, I would have laughed in their face.

I was known as Isabella Tonks. I was a witch; I spent the last six years studying magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I wasn't able to return for my last year.

My best friends were Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. That alone would give me a one way ticket to Azkaban; being friends with Harry Potter was very dangerous these days. Our headmaster, Dumbledore, left Harry a mission before he was murdered. Harry was to find and destroy what he explained as Horcruxes.

According to Dumbledore, those were what kept Voldemort, otherwise known as You-Know-Who, alive. They were pieces of his soul trapped inside objects; Harry was going to look for them.

He asked me to come along (after Mione and Ron basically forced Harry to bring them), since I knew all about it; I had to refuse, though.

Not that I didn't want to go, because there was nothing more in the world I wanted than to get rid of You-Know-Who. But my father, who was a muggle-born wizard, couldn't protect himself, he was too scatterbrained, and my sister Dora was busy protecting everyone else. I offered to flee the country with my dad, while mom stayed with Dora. They could take care of themselves, but I had to do my best to not lose another family member.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I came up with our own means of communication for while they were away. Hermione used the same concept as our D.A. galleon coins, but it worked both ways, so we could all write messages. She gave me a very discreet bracelet, so I could know at all times what was going on with them. Every time there was a message, my bracelet would buzz lightly and the message would appear inside it. If I wanted to write back, all I had to do was point my wand at it and say what I needed written. It was simple and efficient.

Dad and I ended up going to a tiny town in Washington, in the United States. We wanted to be far away, so Dad just randomly picked a town in the map. I registered for muggle school and we changed our last name to Swan. I was almost eighteen at the time, so I would start my last year at the school.

On my first day, I found out that the city was inhabited by vampires. There were two of them in my school at the time; I found out their names were Edward and Alice.

He was gorgeous, tall and muscular with bronze hair and topaz eyes. His face was sharp and defined; he had high cheek bones and a pointed jaw. His hair stood in disarray and it looked like he had just rolled out of bed, even though I knew he hadn't.

Alice, on the other hand, was petite. She couldn't be taller than five feet. Her hair was short and jet black, and carefully spiked up. She reminded me of a fairy from those muggle children books.

I got to know them pretty well. One day I took the courage to reveal that I knew their secret. Edward first denied having a secret, so I told him I knew about vampires. I also said I had a secret of my own, but couldn't reveal it yet.

We fell in love. In just over three months, we had fallen head over heels in love with each other. It felt amazing, being loved by someone. I could understand my sister and her misery much better now. I wouldn't know what I'd be like if Edward had rejected me.

Dora loved Remus Lupin – he was my third year Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher - but he was scared to let her in. He was a werewolf; he was bitten by one when he was a child and at every full moon he transformed into a wolf. He didn't want to get involved with my sister because he was scared he would end up hurting her.

I agreed with Dora, though. She didn't care about his condition, his age or his money; she loved him for who he was and he was only prolonging both their pain by rejecting her. He had only accepted her love after Dumbledore's death. He probably saw that life was too short. (Uh, well... you know what I mean).

A day after we had professed our love, Edward took me to meet the rest of his family. There were seven of them in total.

I was first introduced to Esme and Carlisle, the 'parents'. Esme looked like an angel, with snow-white skin and caramel hair. Her eyes were kind and caring and her smile was captivating. Carlisle was blonde and had the same caring eyes. He was also very compassionate, which was shown by his profession. He was a muggle doctor.

We spent some time talking before Alice and a honey blonde guy showed up. Alice introduced him as Jasper, her husband. He was taller than Edward and more muscular, and his face held no emotions. His eyes, though, showed more than you'd think. It felt like he was carrying all the emotions of the world over his shoulder.

I spent the whole afternoon at the Cullen's. They welcomed me with open arms and I felt very comfortable with them all.

Edward played the piano for me that day. It made me fall in love with him even more; he played beautifully. His fingers glided through the keys effortlessly, and he never looked down; he kept staring at me. At the end of the song, I had tears falling from my eyes. He wiped them away with a kiss. He then told me the song was called 'Bella's Lullaby' and he had written it for me. Not even his kisses could keep the tears away after that.

When it was time for me to go, another couple showed up. Edward introduced them as Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett was even taller than Jasper, and really bulky. He had dark brown curly hair and a gentle smile despite his menacing frame. He grinned widely at me when I introduced myself, blushing. Rosalie could only be described as a goddess. She had straight blonde hair and an angelic face. Her body was perfect, everything well proportioned. Her eyes, though, were hard. She stared at me as if I were a dungbomb ready to explode.

I introduced my dad to Edward. I didn't know if he would be able to read my father's mind, so I asked Dad not to think about the wizarding world in his presence. Dad approved of Edward faster than he did Remus. It took a bit of persuasion on my part, though.

I really wanted to tell Edward the truth, but I had to make sure he knew nothing of the wizarding world before I told him, just in case he was a Death Eater or something. I gathered my evidence swiftly, leaving subtle hints now and then, but he never seemed to understand them.

Which led us to today. My dad was somewhere in the house, probably practicing some defensive spells. He wanted to be prepared if anything were to happen.

Edward and I were cuddling on the couch, watching a movie, when it happened.

A Patronus 'barged' into the living room, and my sister's excited voice rang through the silent room.

"I'm pregnant." The wolf Patronus announced. "Have other news, coming to visit in a few hours." The animal disappeared after relaying the message.

I looked at nothing, trying to take it in. My sister was pregnant. I was going to be an aunt.

"Merlin's beard." I whispered to myself, completely forgetting that Edward was in the room. "She's pregnant." I squealed and laughed, hugging Edward in the process. He looked at me alarmed.

"What's going on, Bella? What was that thing? How did it talk?" He fired question after question. He even looked a bit scared.

I took a deep breath, and turned my body to face him before saying,

"Do you remember the secret that I said I had?" He nodded,

"Yes, you somehow already knew about us being vampires…" He trailed out, as if waiting for an explanation.

"Promise not to freak out?" I whispered, suddenly scared of his reaction.

"Yes, I promise, my Bella." He said while holding me to him.

"I'm a witch." I blurted out before lowering my head.

* * *

_It's short, I know. _

_Is it worth continuing? Well, I will be regardless of review numbers =)_

_Reviews are love ;)  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey!_

_Since it's my birthday tomorrow, I decided on posting this as a treat to y'all lol. _

_Oh, I forgot to mention one thing on the last chapter: I am brazilian, and I learned both American and British english, and I mix up expressions and words. So if I say something weird, please correct me lol_

_Hope you like it! =)_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all.  
_

* * *

Chapter 2

Edward didn't say anything for about five minutes. Tears had formed in my eyes, just waiting for the rejection.

"Is that why your dad is brandishing a stick and murmuring weird, Latin words? Or why you keep saying things like 'muggles' and 'Hogwarts' and other stuff while you're asleep? And why your mind is closed to me?"

So he had noticed my hints, voluntary or not. I did sometimes say some wizard's expressions out loud but he never said anything. It must have been even more confusing to hear them while I was sleep-talking.

I nodded cautiously, and waited for him to call me a freak and dump me.

"Okay." He finally said. I snapped my head up.

"Okay?" I asked. He nodded.

"I'm a vampire. That alone should be an impossible thing, but I exist. So why not witches and wizard as well?" He said calmly. I just stared at him open mouthed.

"Thank you." I whispered, the tears finally falling down my eyes.

"You accepted me and my family with no questions asked. I should give you the same treatment." He said while kissing my forehead.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I had to make sure you weren't a Death Eater. They're evil wizards that work for an even worse wizard – we never say his name though – and they're hunting down everyone that doesn't support You-Know-Who. I'm very careful when I meet knew people, so I dropped hints to see if you knew what I was talking about, small things like calling you a muggle or mentioning Hogwarts, but you were none the wiser. I was going to tell you soon, but I guess that won't be needed."

He nodded. "Tell me more."

"Well, first of all, I'm English. I was born in London. Anyways, Hogwarts is a school we go to learn magic. It's a boarding school in Scotland and we get there by train. It's amazing there; the school is a huge castle and there are all kinds of creatures living there, and lots and lots of secret passages. We learn everything from Potions to Transfiguration. We study plants in Herbology and how to defend ourselves in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Every Wednesday at midnight we would go to the Astronomy tower to learn about the skies. In our third year we can choose different subjects. I chose Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures.

"There are a lot more. You must be eleven to go into Hogwarts. I thought I wasn't going to go when I was ten and didn't get my letter. You see, my birthday is on the thirteenth of September, and term starts on the first. I had to wait another year to be called. I went there just shy of turning twelve. I had a lot of different professors. On my third year, we had a werewolf for a teacher." I teased him, knowing his species hated what they thought were werewolves. The La Push wolves were shape-shifters though. He growled.

"Oh, please. He is a real werewolf, you know, the whole full moon and all. The La Push boys are not like him, they change at will; they're shape-shifters. And besides, the werewolf in question, Remus Lupin, is married to my sister." I finished with a cheeky smile. Edward seemed about to faint.

"We all get a wand before first term. Mine is made of oak and unicorn hair. They say that the wand chooses the wizard and not the other way around, and I must say it's true. You can't perform as good a spell with another wizard's wand. Basically, that's it. I'll explain things to you as they go. Do you have any questions?" I finished my rant. He looked at me wide eyed and nodded.

"How did that animal get here, and how did it talk?" He asked.

I chuckled lightly before replying, "It was a Patronus. They're the essence of happiness. We use them to fight off Dementors, who guard Azkaban, the wizard's prison. The Dementors feed off our happiness, leaving us with nothing but despair and sadness. Muggles can't see them, and the only way to fight them off is by conjuring a Patronus. Lately, it's been the safest way we found to communicate with others. My dad and I are hiding; he's a muggle-born," Edward looked confused. "It means he doesn't have a wizard heritage. Muggles are non-magical beings. Our world has been dominated by You-Know-Who and a muggle registration was created. They were all being sent to Azkaban, though.

"We couldn't let that happen to Dad, _I_ couldn't let anything happen, so I came with him to protect him. My sister, the one that sent the Patronus, is an Auror; they are an organization that is trained to take down Dark witches and wizards. Kind of like muggle police officers. Anyways, she's in England doing her job and..."

"No, she's not." I heard a voice say from the hallway. I was so distracted with telling Edward about my world that I didn't even hear my sister apparate.

"Dora." I shrieked before running to her and engulfing her in a huge hug. She laughed loudly before letting me go.

"I missed you, too, Bizzy Bee."

I took a good look at her. She had her usual bubble-gum pink cropped hair up, and she looked healthier. I was thankful that Remus had finally seen the light and married my sister. And now she was expecting.

I looked down and sure enough, could see a small baby bump. I lowered my body so my face was on her stomach level and gave it a small kiss.

"Hi, baby. I'm your favorite Auntie Bizzy." Dora laughed and ruffled my brown hair affectionately.

"You're its only aunt, Bee."

I grimaced and whispered, "I know." She hugged me again, only then realizing her words.

"Who's there?" I heard Dad ask, interrupting us. He came running down the stairs, wand at ready.

"It's just Dora, Dad." I informed him before he could jinx her.

"Dora?" He asked before going all the way down to give her a hug. "You look… rounder." He said. I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm pregnant, Dad."

His face showed his shock at once. He stared at her for a good five minutes before smiling at her.

"Well, congratulations. I'll leave you girls alone so you can catch up." He said before going back upstairs. My dad was a man of few words.

I led Dora to the living room, where I noticed Edward looking at me expectantly.

"Sorry, Edward." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me before getting up. "This is my sister, Dora. Dora, this is Edward, he's…"

"A vampire." She finished for me.

"I _was _going to say my boyfriend, but that is also correct."

"Boyfriend, uh?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. I groaned.

"Dee, please." She laughed and extended her hand for Edward to shake.

"It's very nice to meet you, Edward. I hope you're treating my little sister well." Did I ever mention she was way too overprotective?

"Nice to meet you, too, Dora, and yes, I am."

"He treats me like a princess." I added looking up at him. He guided me back to the couch and we sat cuddling once again.

"What was the other news you had for me?" I asked once Dora had sat down as well.

"Oh… uh, first, can you lose the accent?"

I rolled my eyes but complied, "Better?" I asked in my English accent.

"Much." She smiled. "Anyways, do you know anything about Harry and the mission Dumbledore gave him?"

"Yes, and I'm not telling anyone about it. Sorry, sis." She nodded.

"What I mean was that, things are getting rougher over there. Harry's been hunted down and most believe he's dead."

"He's not." I interrupted, looking at my bracelet. She let out a sigh of relief.

"I thought so. Moving on, You-Know-Who's been taking over the Ministry and even Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. Snape took over as Headmaster, and there are Death Eaters as professors."

I looked at her with wide eyes. I hadn't been much in contact with the wizarding world, just the rare letter or Patronus.

"We all know there will be a fight soon." She continued. "And I want you to be prepared, Bee. I _know_ you'll go over to fight when the time comes; you are a Gryffindor after all. But I want you to be at top shape and mentally prepared. I don't want you there if all you want is revenge." She looked at me worriedly.

"Don't worry, Dora. I'll be ready. And I'll always think about revenge, it's impossible not to do so. But how am I going to know about it?"

"I'm sure you and Hermione figured out a way to communicate." I nodded, lifting my arm to her. "Can you also send messages?" She asked, understanding the concept of our device. I nodded. "So, just ask Hermione." She winked at me; I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her cheekiness.

We all froze, though, when we heard a car approach.

"It's just Alice." Edward let us know.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding before nodding.

"His sister." I answered Dora's unasked question.

Alice had barely knocked when I called her in.

"Bella, why am I seeing you going to some huge castle place and start pointing a stick at people? Have you finally gone mad?" She asked before even going into the living room.

When she noticed we had a visitor she clamped her mouth shut.

"Alice, this is my sister. Dora, this is Alice. She can see the future." I explained.

"Oh, that explains things." Dora said.

"What's with the weird accent, Bella?" Alice asked confused. I merely laughed.

"I'm English. I'll explain everything soon, Al, just let Dora finish with her news." Alice nodded and took a seat next to us.

"Anyways, keep alert, Bizzy. And don't say You-Know-Who's name, it's been tabooed. Death Eaters will know where you are the moment you say the name." She explained. I nodded. "Oh, and I'll be showing up a lot more now." I raised an eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes. "Remus wants me to stay home because of the baby. I'll be so bored." She whined.

I chuckled. "You are such a drama queen. Just please take care of yourself and my little niece or nephew." I asked her.

"Speaking of that… we wanted you to be its godmother. Would you?" She asked expectantly.

Tears suddenly formed in my eyes. I let go of Edward and launched myself at my sister.

"I'd be honored to." I whispered while hugging her.

"Thanks, Bizzy Bee." I chuckled.

"Please tell me you'll be the one to name the baby." I joked, resuming my position next to Edward.

"Absolutely. Mother won't have the chance to do so." We both laughed. Both Edward and Alice looked at us confused.

"Her name is Nymphadora." I said while pointing to my sister. She wrinkled her nose at the name. "As you can see, she hates it. She was the one to name me when I was born." I explained. "She kept calling me Bizzy Bee because she thought I was in my mum's tummy cause dad put a seed there like a bee spreads flowers' pollen. Somehow Bizzy turned into Isabella."

We talked a bit more about meaningless things, until Dora announced she had to go.

"So soon?" I almost cried out. She nodded sadly.

"Remus was already freaking out as it was. I'll come back soon, I promise."

"I'll miss you." I told her while giving her a hug.

"I'll miss you, too." She whispered back before calling a goodbye for Dad and disapparating on the spot. She'd have to make a few jumps to make it to England safely.

"What was that?" Alice asked. "What's Hogwarts? Death Eaters? And what's with the sticks?" She asked in one breath.

"I'm a witch, Alice." I whispered the reply. She looked at me shockingly. "The 'sticks', as you put it, are wands. Death Eaters are dark wizards and witches. Hogwarts is a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And that was my sister disapparating. Is that all?" I said evenly.

"Wow."

"Aren't you going to say something? Yell at me, slap me, call me crazy and bolt out of the house?" I asked worriedly.

"No… I believe you." She said. "I would have a hard time believing if I hadn't witnessed your sister disappear into thin air."

Edward then looked at me worried, "What was she talking about when she said you were going to fight?"

* * *

_Better than the first one? LOL_

_I wrote the first 3 chapters in one document, you have no idea how hard it is to split them up! So if the end looks a bit weird, that's mostly why =P_

_Reviews are love!  
_


	3. Chapter 3

_Wow, I am updating quite fast, aren't I? I had a few chapters ready, just needed reviewing them, so there you go! Gonna be a nice author and post them ;)_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own them.  
_

* * *

Chapter 3

"There's nothing you can do about that, Edward. It will come to war in the end, and I'm going to go help them fight. You-Know-Who's going to try to kill Harry at all costs, and no one will let him." I told him.

"Who's Harry?" He asked.

I sighed and explained everything I could about our world and Harry Potter.

"He's one of my best friends; he's more like my brother. His parents were killed by You-Know-Who when he was one year old. He somehow survived the killing curse, and turned You-Know-Who into nothing but a ghost of sorts. That's why Harry's famous. He was the only one to ever survive the curse; we became friends when he saved my other friend, Hermione, from a troll.

"We went through all kinds of things together. Him and I play Quidditch for our house, Gryffindor. I love to play – I'll tell you about it later. So I basically grew up with him and know all about him, which is why I'm sort of on the run. Harry, Hermione and Ron – my other friend - asked me to go with them on their mission, but I couldn't leave my dad. My head is worth a lot right now." I said sort of joking. "On our fifth year, we found out there had been a prophecy made for Harry; that was why You-Know-Who sought him out. He is the one that has to kill You-Know-Who." I told them.

"I can't tell you about the mission, but I know they'll have to go back to Hogwarts sometime. And that's why I need to be prepared. When they go to Hogwarts, you can be sure something big will happen." I informed them. I let it sink in before asking, "anything you want to know?"

Alice looked at me and smiled.

"How come your sister had that vibrant pink color in her hair?" Leave it to Alice to notice something so trivial.

"She's a metamorphmagus. I am too." I told her.

"Say what?"

"It means I can change my appearance at will." I said while concentrating. I changed my hair to a dark purple color. Both vampires gasped when I opened my eyes; they were cobalt blue.

"That's so cool." Alice exclaimed. I chuckled.

We spent some time talking about my heritage, but did not really dig into my past, for which I was grateful. Alice left after some time, but Edward stayed like he did most nights.

I got ready for bed, and lay down on my bed. Edward lay down on top of the covers, and I rested my head on his chest.

"I liked your sister." He said. "She's very spontaneous, and she seems to care deeply for you."

I nodded. Dora was really protective, but I didn't blame her.

"I forgot to tell her about your mind reading." I mused out loud. He chuckled.

"Bella, I'm going with you." He said after a few minutes of silence.

"Going where?"

"To fight. I am not going to let you go alone." He said.

I was going to refuse, but thought better of it. Edward would be a great asset. Spells would just bounce off his skin. It was too hard and impenetrable, maybe like giant's skin. The only thing that could maybe hurt him would be fiendfyre, but not many wizards would actually dare to cast it; it was way too dangerous, even for dark wizards. So he could act as a shield to some students.

"You know what? I'm actually agreeing with you on it." I told him. "Your skin is mostly impenetrable. Spells won't affect you at all."

"Good. And we're going to talk to the rest of the family tomorrow." He warned me.

I started to panic; what if they hated me for keeping a secret from them when they told me about theirs?

"What's wrong?" Edward sensed my panic.

"What if they hate me?" I said in a small voice.

"They won't, Bella. But if you could bring your wand with you and demonstrate, it would be better." He reassured me.

I nodded. I was going to do that anyways. He then started humming the lullaby that he had written for me and I fell asleep almost instantly.

The next morning, Edward woke me up early so we could go to his house. It was a Sunday and everyone would be in. Alice had made sure of that when she called demanding I go over.

We rode in silence, the only sound coming from the radio. My wand was safely tucked inside my pocket. I was growing more nervous by the second, and was almost hyperventilating when we reached the Cullen residence.

"Calm down, my love. I told you they won't hate you." Edward tried to calm me down, but I just couldn't. He then went to his second best weapon. He kissed me, making me forget to even breathe.

"Better?" He asked smugly. I just nodded, slightly dazed.

He made his way to my side and opened the door for me, taking hold of my hand immediately. He guided me through the house to the living room, and called everyone for a meeting.

Jasper looked at me weirdly, probably not understanding my emotions. I didn't know what I was feeling as well.

I sat down facing everyone. Rosalie was glaring at me as usual. Emmett gave me one of his smiles, showing his dimples. Jasper was eying me speculatively. Esme and Carlisle just smiled at me reassuringly.

"Why did you call the meeting, Alice?" Carlisle asked gently.

"Bella has something she wants to tell us." Alice replied, smiling brightly at me.

Every one of them stared at me. I gulped loudly before looking at Edward for reassurance. He smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and kissing my head. I took a deep breath and looked at Carlisle.

"I'm a witch." I whispered, knowing they could all hear me. I also still had my old English accent, so it was quite evident I had been lying to them.

I heard a snort coming from Rosalie and looked at her. She was holding in laughter. Emmett was as well.

Jasper, Carlisle and Esme looked at me waiting for an explanation. I sighed, ignoring the chuckles coming from my left.

"I was born a witch. My whole family is magical. My mother comes from a family of pure-bloods – which means her family is made up of only wizards. My father was muggle-born, meaning his family was a regular, human family. He is a wizard, though. My sister is five years older than I, and she's an Auror – basically a magical police officer. I was supposed to be on my last year of magic school but it's been taken over by dark wizards, and I couldn't go back with my half-blood status."

I tried to explain to them, but avoided mentioning certain topics. Jasper looked like he believed me; he could feel my sincerity after all. Esme and Carlisle smiled at me, letting me know they did believe me. Rosalie and Emmett, though, looked at me as if I were crazy.

"What a whole lot of bullshit." Rosalie exclaimed.

"Rosalie!" Esme chastised her. Rosalie just got up and ran out the back door into the forest. Emmett went after her.

I sighed. "Didn't expect her to believe me anyways." I murmured.

"You have a nice accent." I heard Carlisle say. "Where are you from?"

"London. I was born there, but the school is somewhere in Scotland. Maybe I got a bit of their accent as well. And well, living in the States has drastically changed some things for me. I had to really think before I said something exclusively English, like rubbish instead of garbage; or called soccer 'football', Which is really the right way to call that sport, not your football where you play with your hands." I started rambling on. "I mean, it's called _foot_ball for a reason."

I heard a snicker from beside me and looked up to see an amused Edward.

"I didn't know you liked sports, Bella."

"The only sport from the muggle world I like is football; my dad's always been a Hull City fanatic. But I play Quidditch." I informed them. They all looked at me puzzled. "Oh, right. Quidditch is _the_ wizard game. It's played in brooms and it's just wicked." I said enthusiastically.

They all nodded, not understanding a thing. I shrugged but didn't go any further.

"Can you show us anything?" Alice asked excitedly. "Can you disappear into thin air like your sister did last night?" She smiled brightly.

I laughed at her and nodded.

"Yes, I can apparate. And I brought my wand along so I can show you a thing or two. Oh, and if you'd like you can meet my owl." I said nonchalantly. All their eyes went wide.

"You have an owl?" Esme asked curiously. I smiled gently at her while nodding.

"Yep, cause I'm allergic to cats and toads are so lame. Plus, having an owl is really useful. Anyways, her name is Lynx. She was named after a constellation, just like my mother." Yet again, everyone was confused. "My mother's name is Andromeda, as in one of the constellations in the Perseus family?" They finally nodded in understanding.

"My owl has been living in the forest near my house. She is mainly outdoorsy, and didn't like my small room nor staying in her even smaller cage. She likes being able to hunt her own food but she always comes to greet me every morning."

I took out my wand from my pocket and heard a few gasps.

"I thought you were kidding when you said you had a wand." Jasper explained his reaction. I smiled at him.

"Nope, it's real. Let's see…" I pondered, trying to think of an easy spell to show them. "Oh, okay." I pointed my wand to Alice and whispered '_Wingardium Leviosa'. _She started floating through the living room.

"Yikes. This is so cool." She shrieked. I put her down slowly and smiled at her. She grinned back.

"What else can you do?" She asked enthusiastically. Right at that moment, my stomach decided to rumble. I blushed profusely before pointing the wand in the direction of the kitchen. "_Accio Apple."_ I whispered. An apple came flying through the house directly into my hand. I took a bite of it before smiling cheekily at them. They all gaped at me.

I showed them a bit more of basic magic and also my _power_ of changing appearance. Alice loved my new jet black curly hair. I explained about school and our world to all of them really quickly and started on why I was telling them.

"My sister just showed up last night to tell me we are most likely going to fight against the dark wizards I told you. I am going to be really busy training and I wanted you all to know why. You deserve to know the truth." I told them.

"Fight?" Esme asked alarmed and concerned.

I nodded. "Ever since my fourth year, the Dark Lord has been back, gathering strength and followers. He wants to kill Harry, one of my best friends, because of a prophecy that was made before he was even born. His parents were killed because of it, and You-Know-Who won't stop until Harry is dead.

"Our only chance is to fight them off while Harry finishes his tasks. He needs to finish them all before trying to kill You-Know-Who. In the end, it's going to turn into a war and I need to be prepared. I have to help my friends." _And get my revenge._ I added in my head.

"You're going to fight?" Carlisle's voice held some concern. When I nodded my affirmative, he gasped. "But you're… you're just a kid."

"I'm of age already. I'm over seventeen. And I've been trained very well at school plus I read a lot, so I learned a lot of new stuff since I got here. I can definitely take care of myself."

"I'm going with her." Edward interrupted my rant. Everyone shifted their focus to him. "I'm going. Stop yelling in your minds, would you?"

"But… you don't know anything about magic. You'll get hurt." Esme stuttered out. If it were anyone else that had said that, I'd have snorted.

"Your skin is basically indestructible. Spells shouldn't work on him, but if you want I can demonstrate it?"

"You levitated Alice, though." Jasper reminded me.

"Yes. Because that spell is to levitate objects, and since you have no heartbeat and no blood flowing through your veins, the spell works just as it should. I mean offensive spells, the ones we use in duels. They'll just bounce off. I'll show you." I motioned for Edward to get up and follow me. It would be best if we did this on their backyard. The bouncing spell could hit something and Esme would be mad at me.

Everyone eyed me expectantly. I positioned myself a few feet away from Edward and aimed my wand to his chest. I asked him quietly if he trusted me, which he replied with a nod and a smile as he closed his eyes. I yelled '_stupefy'_ and watched as a red jet of light hit him squarely in the chest and bounced off towards a tree. Edward didn't even flinch.

"That was a stunning spell. It was supposed to make him stop moving or, if well aimed, render him unconscious. As you can see, he didn't even stumble." Everyone was looking at me with their mouths wide open, excluding Edward and Alice. They had small smiles on their faces.

"Want me to try another one?" I asked Edward. He nodded.

I thought about another common spell.

"_Duro!" _I yelled while pointing at Edward again. Nothing happened. "You were supposed to be turned into a statue. These spells won't work because I'm targeting you. However, if I try something else, like your clothes, it'll probably work. _Reducio_." I called out, pointing to Edward's shirt. It started shrinking immediately and ripped off after a while because it didn't fit. I smiled, eying him hungrily. He caught my stare and winked.

"So, as you can see, nothing aimed directly at him will work. So he will be able to act as a shield of sorts to some students." I explained. They were still bewildered, but nodded.

"I'm going too!" Alice exclaimed. "I'm not letting my best friend and brother go off to war without helping. I'm going." She said with finality. I smiled at her in appreciation.

"If Alice is going, I'm going as well. I have been to different wars, I know what to expect. I want to help." Jasper declared. I almost ran to him to give him a hug, but that wouldn't go well.

"We're going as well. I can help treat the injured and fight. Even though I don't believe in violence, this wizard must be stopped. Killing for the fun of it makes me sick." Carlisle stated and Esme nodded along with him. Now I did run to them and hugged them tightly. They were like seconds parents to me.

"Thank you. You have no idea how grateful I am for this. You're risking your lives, your world to help mine. I'll never forget about this."

I heard a faint hoot from somewhere in the forest. "And neither will Lynx." I chuckled. My owl made her presence known by flying over my head once before resting on my shoulder. She hooted loudly once again before nibbling my ear softly in greeting.

"Hello to you, too." I greeted back, running my finger through her torso. I swear I could hear her sigh contently. She had caramel colored feathers, and a few white ones formed a small heart shape on her left wing.

The Cullens, sans Emmett and Rosalie, eyed me speculatively.

"Would you like to meet my friends?" I asked Lynx, not caring if I looked crazy talking to an owl. She hooted once again and I took a few steps forward.

Alice was the first one to approach us. "She's beautiful. Can I touch her?" She asked me. I told her to ask the owl. She did, not once looking at me as if I were insane.

Lynx let Alice caress her feathers and even closed her eyes in content. Soon everyone was caressing my owl in some way. She seemed to favor Edward most though. She knew how much I loved him.

Emmett and Rosalie didn't come back for a long time. They were away for a few weeks. It was almost Christmas, actually, when they showed up. And, unfortunately, the day they came back home was the same day my sister had showed up for a visit.

* * *

_So, there you go. _

_Hope you liked it =)_

_Reviewa are love.  
_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys!_

_Thanks everyone for their reviews, they make my day! _

_Here's the next chapter. From now on, it'll take a little longer for me to update because this was as far as I had written up =) Hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all.  
_

* * *

Chapter 4

"What the hell?" I heard Rosalie shout as soon as she passed through the front door. "I came back thinking you had got ridden of this lunatic, only to find two of them instead." She was fuming. My sister, with her four-and-a-half months pregnant belly, got up so quickly it almost gave me whiplash. She was pointing her wand directly at Rosalie's nose.

"Call my sister a lunatic again, and you won't live to see tomorrow." Dora threatened.

Rosalie just scoffed, eying my sister's wand as if it were rubbish.

"I mean it." Dora kept her wand up. I could feel the mood change drastically, and if we didn't intervene, someone would be hurt. Most likely my sister.

"Dee, let it go. It's not worth it." I whispered, gently lowering her wand and guiding her back to the couch.

Emmett came to his wife's side and eyed me skeptically. "You weren't lying?" He asked. I shook my head. "But, that's impossible. Witches don't exist." He said mostly to himself.

"As opposed to vampires?" I reminded him. He stared at me, but didn't say anything else.

"I'm glad you told them, Bee, but does she have to be so rude?" Dora whispered, knowing everyone would be able to hear. We heard snickers from all around the room.

"Dora… not everyone believes us right away. Give her time and she'll be begging to come with us to Hogwarts. I mean, who wouldn't want to stay in a castle with all kinds of magical beings? Elves, centaurs, unicorns, mermaids." I said quite sarcastically.

Rosalie's eyes went wide but she never said anything. She did enter the living room fully and sat down on one of the couches along with Emmett, though.

"So, what were we talking about before being so rudely interrupted?" Dora asked rhetorically. "Oh, right. I'm really glad you're going to help us. We're just waiting until everything blows over so we can fight back. We, from the Order, are trying to gather as many followers as we can, but it's so hard to trust anyone. People can be Imperiused for all we know." She ranted.

"What does that mean?" Carlisle asked.

"It's a spell that gives the person that cast it total control of the one hit. It's mostly how You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters work; how they gather followers. It's mostly improbable that anyone would join them willingly."

"There is almost no way of knowing if the person is Imperiused." I complemented. "Because they look normal. They may have a serene look to their face, but nothing too alarming. If you have enough willpower, though, you can resist it. It's the only one of the Unforgivable Curses that can actually be fought.

"There are two other Curses; the Cruciatus Curse, also known as the Torture Curse, which does just that; inflict so much pain to someone that it's almost impossible to resist. Harry said it was the worst kind of pain he had ever felt. And if it's performed repeatedly on one person, it can damage their mind beyond repair.

"The other Curse is the Avada Kedavra. It's the killing curse. Those two words are enough to kill someone. No one has ever survived once hit by that curse, except for Harry. That was what made him famous in the first place. Not only did he 'defeat' You-Know-Who while still a toddler but he survived the Killing Curse with just a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead."

Everyone, including Rosalie and Emmett, were looking at us with their mouths wide open.

"Death Eaters use other ways to infiltrate into wizards' homes. They use Polyjuice Potion. With a strand of hair of someone else, you can transform into that person for a period of time; it depends on how much potion you have. Many families were destroyed or killed by dark wizards disguised as a family member.

"Which is why the Ministry keeps telling us to have a 'safe word' of sorts. It's a question we are supposed to ask whenever we meet that person. For example, for me to be sure it was Dora, I'd ask her who was the one to name me. Only family and my closest friends know, and I'd prove it was indeed Dora. It's quite rubbish though; if they _really_ wanted to get into a family, they'd find out which question we were asking and being asked, and they'd know the answer."

I rambled on. It felt so nice to be able to open up to people like that again.

The family looked at us with their eyes wide open. I guess they weren't used to a talkative Bella.

"Is that why I can't read your mind? Do you have it protected because of those curses?" Edward asked me.

"WHAT?" Dora shrieked.

I grimaced; I had forgotten to tell her about his ability.

"Isabella Lyra Tonks! How could you not tell me about this? Uh?" Dora asked, looking at me in anger.

"I forgot?" I said in a small voice. I really looked up to my sister and didn't like it when she was mad at me. "I'm sorry." I whispered.

She saw me close to tears and immediately her demeanor softened; she got up and sat down next to me.

"I'm sorry I yelled, Bee. It's just... you know how my mind works; it's pretty crazy in there. I don't like the thought of anyone trying to decipher it." She put an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple lightly. I chuckled lightly at her attempt to cheer me up.

"I'm sorry, I just forgot... It's not like this is something that comes up in a conversation; 'so, sis, this is my boyfriend Edward, he's a vegetarian vampire who can read minds and doesn't think I'm a freak for being a witch'. How's that for an introduction?" I joked back.

She wrinkled her nose. "Wouldn't go well with me... you're right. Sorry I freaked, everyone."

They shrugged it off, and Edward asked again if that was why I had my mind closed.

"Yes and no. I learned Occlumency last year. Harry told me You-Know-Who entered his mind and possessed him for a while, and how painful it was, so I put it in my head that I did not want it to happen to me. I studied hard on how to become an Occlumens, Hermione helping me. She decided to give it a go as well, and we both finally mastered it at the end of the term.

"I don't believe it blocks the Imperius Curse, and I'm yet to be tested with a Cruciatus Curse, but I do know it keeps anyone from reading my mind, be it Edward or by performing Legilimency, which makes me feel safer somehow." I explained.

"You and Hermione are two crazy, devilish little witches, I tell ya." Dora said, which made me snort.

"Why?" I asked back.

"For real? Occlumency is one of the hardest things to learn, and yet you both did it without any help from a Professor -"

"Dumbledore knew." I interrupted her.

"He did?"

I nodded, "He even asked us to help Harry with it, since Snape was doing a very poor job of teaching him, but Harry is just hopeless. He was the one that needed it the most, yet he couldn't, for the love of Gryffindor, clear him mind. I am not as patient as Hermione, and I gave up on him after a while... I really wish I didn't." Harry was in so much pain now, because of the freaking connection with Voldemort, and I hated seeing him in any kind of pain.

"Why?" Someone asked. I was too lost in thoughts to figure out who it was.

"Just some things... I'd rather not talk about it." I answered... whoever.

"Harry and Bella are very close." Dora started to explain. I noticed Edward look at her more intently and wondered what was going on through her head. "Our mother's cousin, Sirius, was Harry's godfather. So Harry is practically family. He's been like a brother to her, and the feeling is mutual. I'm just glad someone was there to watch over her when I left Hogwarts." She finished.

I rolled my eyes. "You were on your last year when I started there, Dora. And besides, how exactly did Harry watch over me? It was more like I watched over him. He is seriously lacking in the luck department." My voice broke at the end of the sentence. I just missed him so much. I had lost too much in the past couple of years already.

It was so strange, when none of us went back to Hogwarts for our last year. For six years, we had formed our own little family. It would be hard not to, what with living in the same castle and belonging to the same house. Even during the summer we would find a way to meet up. And then we all had to go our separate ways. Well, I had to separate from them, which was even worse.

They all noticed my sullen mood, and dropped the subject.

"Lyra?" Edward suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked back, not following his train of thoughts.

"Your middle name, I thought it was Marie? And your last name is Tonks?" He asked again.

I looked at him guiltily. I was just so excited that he had accepted me that I forgot to tell him about myself. I shared a brief story with everyone, but Edward deserved more than that. I told myself I'd get him alone soon and tell him everything. No more hiding from him.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I just forgot." I told him. As he was sitting next to me, he just put an arm around me and drew me closer.

"It's okay, sweetheart. So, that's your full name? Isabella Lyra Tonks. Sounds beautiful." He said. "Why Lyra, though?"

I rolled my eyes. "My mother. She's a bit on the loony side. I told you her name is Andromeda, and she is obsessed with stars for some reason, which she seemed to have passed on to me. Dora's middle name is Aquila, which is pretty ironic." I snorted. Dora just rolled her eyes; she knew what was coming.

"Ironic?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, because it means 'eagle' in Latin, and that's Ravenclaw's animal. She belonged in Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw was actually our s..." I stopped myself before saying anything else, and I could see Dora with a faraway look. She wasn't thinking about anything at the moment, I was sure of it..

"Uh?" I could see everyone was confused.

"Right, sorry. You see, when you first go to Hogwarts, you are sorted into houses. They become like your family in there, we share the same common room, we can play for our house's team, and we earn and lose point for it. There are four of them, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The sorting hat is the one to put the students in their respective houses; it picks their strongest characteristic to sort them.

"Gryffindor, which is my house, gets the brave and chivalrous. For Slytherin, it's the cunning and ambitious ones. Apparently, most dark wizards came from Slytherin. Ravenclaw honors intelligence and cleverness..."

"And Hufflepuff, my beloved house, values hard work, loyalty, friendship and fair play. It's the most accepting house." Dora finished.

"Right, and each house has two predominant colors and an animal in its crest. Gryffindor's is gold and scarlet and the animal is a lion. Slytherin's is silver and green, and the animal is a snake. Ravenclaw's is bronze and blue, and as I said, the animal is an eagle. And Hufflepuff's is yellow and black, while their animal is a badger." I explained.

"That is so cool!" Alice exclaimed. "So the school is a castle?" I nodded. "And is it really big?"

Dora and I nodded eagerly. "It's amazing, it's got seven floors, plus the towers. Gryffindor's common room is in one tower, and Ravenclaw's in another one. There's also the Astronomy tower and the Owlery. There are way too many rooms for me to remember them all, sorry. Besides, I don't believe anyone really knows _every room_ in that castle. For example, there are some room that apparently only show on Tuesdays, or for a determined period of time. Some have passwords in them, so only few people can go in."

The Cullens looked at me in awe.

"That's probably where we'll be going... to fight." I finished in a lower voice.

"What's that buzzing sound?" Emmett interrupted, not noticing the change in everyone's mood.

I gasped. I hadn't felt my bracelet buzz; I was too caught up in my story telling.

I turned it over, and gasped again at the message. _Ron and Harry fought. Ron's gone. Try to contact him, please? Love, Mione._

How in the world would I contact him? She and I were the only ones with the bracelet. We figured another one or two would not be needed because they would always be together. Guess we were wrong.

"What is it, Bee? Is Harry okay? Hermione? Ron?" My sister asked.

"Ron and Harry had a fight, apparently, and Ron took off. Hermione can't go after him because she doesn't want to leave Harry by himself. Damn, why would Ronald just take off?" I rambled on. It was so infuriating how he always ran away from trouble. "She wants me to contact him. I can't use Lynx, and I'm not really good with sending messages through Patronus. How am I going to find him? Ugh!"

Everyone was looking at me strangely. I just kept muttering to myself, trying to figure out what to do.

"Isabella!" Dora finally brought me out of my thoughts. "Are you listening? I said I may know where Ron is, I'll send him the message and bring him here in a couple of days." She told me softly.

"You will? You'd do that?" I asked, completely ignoring everyone else.

"Of course. I'll set a portkey for us, since they aren't really being tracked at the moment. I better get going, with the time difference I may get Remus before he leaves for his shift." She said getting up.

I threw my arms around her neck, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much for doing this." I whispered.

"Hey, you're my sister. So you're annoying most of the time, but I still love you and would do anything for you." She said, hugging me back.

"I love you, too. Be careful, okay?" She just nodded, letting me go and apparating on the spot.

"What's going on? Why did you bracelet buzz?" Edward asked.

"It's a way for me to keep in touch with Hermione. She just told me Ron and Harry had a fight and that Ron's not with them anymore. You see, she and Ron are sort of dating, but she and Harry are like siblings, so she must be really torn. She would never leave Harry by himself, though, so that's probably why she wants me to get Ron." I tried to explain.

"And do what?" He asked, alarmed.

"Uh, bring some senses into the boy. He can be very stubborn sometimes. He also gets jealous of Harry because Harry's famous and he's not... But Ron's always loyal, you know? I can't think of him betraying his best friend at all." I explained.

I spent the rest of the day worrying over it. How could I get Ron back to Harry and Mione? Could he even find them? If I knew Hermione, and I really did, she would cast a million protection spells around them when they set camp. It would be almost impossible to locate them.

During the next two days, I could barely concentrate on my classes. All I could think about was Hermione. How was she? Was she okay? Hurt? Crying herself to sleep? I wanted to be there for her so badly right now. I kept thinking about Edward; if he were to leave me like that, how would I feel? Hermione must be devastated. I had sent her a message last night, and she still had not replied.

I was in Mr. Mason's class, and he was droning on and on about something or other on Hamlet. I was very distracted, resting my head on both my arms that were crossed on the table. The classroom was silent, which was probably why most people heard my bracelet buzz.

"Shit." I murmured really low.

"No cell phones in class, Miss Swan." Mr. Mason chastised.

"I don't own a mobile." I replied. After Dora demanded I let go of my fake (horrible) American accent, I just couldn't go back to it. Luckily I had no true back story so I could tell people I was English and was just trying to blend in with my American accent. I had actually done that on purpose, so if anything happened – as it is happening now – I could simply disappear without suspicion. The muggles accepted it way quicker than I thought. "My hand just caught up in the table, made some weird noise. I'm sorry." I explained, showing him my hands, which were still on the table. He nodded and proceeded with class.

I took my bracelet off so it would seem like I was just inspecting it, and read what she had replied. _"I'm good, B. Don't worry. H is fine. Love you."_

It only made me more nervous. I knew she wasn't fine. What I wouldn't give for a mobile right now. Ugh, if only they worked around magic, Hermione could have taken one. It would have been the perfect thing for us, because not many pure-bloods (a.k.a. Death Eaters) would know what it was or how to use it.

Edward sensed my mood when he met up with me at the cafeteria door.

"What's wrong?" He asked, taking my hand and guiding me towards the lunch line.

I shook my head. I was trying very hard not to cry at the moment.

He sighed, picked my tray from my hands and walked with me to our table. Alice was outside with Jasper, so we had it to ourselves.

"Bella, love, please tell me what's wrong. Please." He asked softly, brushing my hair from my face with his cold hand.

A few tears escaped, and he wiped them with his thumb, silently encouraging me to go on. "It's Hermione. I was just thinking about her and what she must be feeling, and how I would feel if it were you that had left." I cried silently.

He pulled me to his chest as I cried, whispering that it would be okay, and that he would never do that to me. It made me feel calmer somewhat.

His hand, which was caressing my hair, suddenly froze. I looked up just in time for him to look at the cafeteria doors.

"Dora?" I whispered. What in the world would she be doing here, in my school?

"She says 'I couldn't wait till school was out'." Edward replied, probably reading her thoughts. I got up, and he followed, leaving the tray full of untouched food behind.

A few people noticed my sister walking in, and conversation picked up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked once I was within hearing distance.

She gave me a quick hug. "I found him." She whispered. "I thought you would want to see him right away, so I came straight here."

I looked up at her in awe. "Thank you." I said.

She winked before silently asking for us to follow her.

Ron was waiting outside the school, by Edward's car. Alice and Jasper were nowhere to be found.

"Ron!" I exclaimed once I was near enough. He smiled back at me, but it didn't reach his eyes.

I gave him a short hug, as he was still very awkward around girls.

"Hey, Bells." He whispered. He looked... defeated. I knew he was hurting more than he let on, and he looked so sad. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair needed a comb urgently.

"How are you?" I asked as Edward and Dora approached us.

"Been better." He replied. "You?"

"I'm okay." I replied with a nod.

I noticed him looking over my shoulder and his eyes going wide, and soon I felt a cold hand on the small of my back. Ron's mouth dropped open.

"Bella! What the hell. You know what this guy is? Why are you looking at me like that?" I was trying to hold in some laugh.

"Yes, Ronald, I do know what _this guy_ is. My boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Baby, this is Ron Weasley. One of my best friends." I introduced them, ignoring Ron's shocked face. It's been a while since I last made fun of my friend.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ron. Bella talks about you all the time." Edward said, extending his hand towards Ron.

"Uh, you too, Edward." Ron replied, barely shaking Edward's hand. My Edward looked very amused.

"We should go to my place." I said. Dora nodded.

"I signed you out already. You're free to go." She informed me. I just smiled in reply.

Edward drove us, and when we arrived, I noticed Alice waiting for us by the porch.

"Another?" I heard Ron whisper to Dora. I held in another chuckle.

"Yup." She replied, smiling. She was having the time of her life as well.

I noticed Edward roll his eyes, so I mouthed 'What?' to him. He mouthed a 'Later' back.

Once we made it inside, and everyone was comfortably seated, I turned to Ron.

"Are you going to tell me what the bloody hell happened?"

* * *

_How do you like this? _

_I got my information on constellations (their names and meanings) from Wikipedia:_

_**Andromeda:** Meaning - Andromeda is a mythological character, the Princess in the Greek legend of Perseus who was chained to a rock to be eaten by the sea monster Cetus. Also knows as the 'Chained Lady' or the 'Chained Woman' in English. Family: Perseus. Brightest star: Alpheratz._

_**Aquila:** Meaning - Eagle. Family: Hercules. Brightest star: Altair. _

_**Lynx:**_ _ Meaning - Lynx, a genus of cat. Family: Ursa Major. Brightest star: Elvashak._

_**Lyra:** Meaning - lyre, a stringed musical instrument. Family: Hercules. Brightest star: Vega._

_Reviews are love =)  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey all! _

_I won't be home for a week or so - it is Independence Day here in Brazil on the 7th, so we have a long weekend xD I'm going to the beach; yeah, in the winter lol. Thought I'd leave you guys with this chapter, then ;) I'll be writing the whole week, just won't have internet access to post them =/_

_Hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all.  
_

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Chapter 5

I looked at him expectantly.

"So, Ron, are you going to tell me or what?" I asked again, a bit more demanding.

Ron eyed everyone in the room, seemingly trying to say that he wouldn't with all of them there.

Dora sighed as she made her way out.

"I promised Remus I would just drop Ron off. Bee, I'll contact you soon, okay?" I nodded once and smiled as she kissed my head lightly. She apparated soon after.

"Ron, believe me, Edward most likely knows everything already, and Alice as well. No need for secrecy around them." I told him.

"What do you mean? Bella, you know that was secret information;you know Harry trusts us, and that's how you repay him? By betraying him to strangers?" Ron yelled.

"I did not betray him, and you should know me better than that. Do not accuse me of doing so, when you are standing right in front of me when you should have been with him and _Hermione_ helping them. Who is the one that's betraying them? Uh?" I threw back at him. It was a low blow, but he should know better than jumping to conclusions. "I didn't even tell my sister, who is most likely freaking out because of my involvement in all this. You know what happened fifth year; what if it was Ginny, uh? How would you feel?" I yelled back.

He shut up at once. He knew not to bring my loyalty up.

"Edward can read minds. Alice sees the future. The moment you decided to tell me about it, she already knew it. I trust them both and their family with my life. They are willing to go help us when the time comes; so do not say anything else about it. Now, what the hell happened?"

He looked at me in shock. I was usually a calm person, but I was already stressed out thinking about Hermione and he was only adding to my nerves.

"We found out through a few goblins that Gryffindor's sword was used to destroy one Horcrux; Hermione figured that it could do it because of the Basilisk venom that's imbibed in it, when Harry used it second year. But we don't know where the real sword is. We did find a Horcrux, a necklace; we broke into Umbridge's office to get it."

"What?" I interrupted.

"Yup, she had the freaking thing. Can you believe she was using Moody's eye on her door to spy on everyone?" He told me.

"What?" I asked again. "That is so gross. I hate that woman." I whispered.

"Anyways, we found Slytherin's locket, and we took turns wearing it. I... I had splinched myself apparating, and so I couldn't do much; we... we noticed our moods changed drastically while wearing the bloody thing, and one day I just snapped. It was my fault, but not entirely. I was under the Horcrux influence. We fought and... and Hermione took his side." He finished in anger. I huffed.

"You are so thick, Ronald Weasley. Of course she stayed with him, she's his best friend. It's not in her nature to let him endure it all alone. You should know better than be jealous! Harry loves Ginny!" I exclaimed.

He at least had the decency to look ashamed. He looked down, defeat.

I sighed. "Ron, do you have any idea where they might be?" He shook his head.

"Okay, where are you staying now? You didn't go back to the Burrow, did you?" I asked.

"No, of course not. I'm supposed to be sick, remember? No, I can't go back there. Tonks actually found me at Bill's. He and Fleur have a new cottage somewhere; let me stay there. I'll go back there when I leave here. Do you really need to stay in the States, Bells?"

I looked at him. "I don't know. I was thinking about going back. I need... I need to do some things. And it can't be easy on Dora to come here all the time, I'm so scared she'll splinch herself one day, and harm the baby! I've been thinking, and I can send Dad into hiding, and help the Order somewhat." I told him. He nodded.

I continued, "I can contact Hermione, but I don't know if it's safe for her to tell me where they are. It may take a while. Do you think you can find them?"

"Maybe... I don't know. It's not like I paid attention to what Hermione was saying most of the time." I felt like slapping him. "I'll make sure to find them, if it's the last thing I do. I walked out on them, and I'm really sorry about it. I tried going back, but they had already left." He explained.

"Good." I said. "How is Harry doing? Is he in pain?"

"Yeah." Ron sighed. "He can feel You-Know-Who sometimes. Bloody headaches slow us down."

I glared at him. "I'm pretty sure Harry didn't even complain about it, so do not put the blame on him, got it?" I got pretty defensive sometimes.

The red-haired boy nodded.

"Can we move onto lighter topics?" He asked. I merely nodded, needing a distraction as well. "Have you tried to listen to the radio? Fred, George and Lee are broadcasting the news. You must have a password to listen to it. I don't know which one it is this week, but just keep trying." He said.

"I don't think it works out here in the States, but I'll be sure to listen to it when I get back to England." I said.

"Anyways, are you going to tell me who they are?" Ron finally asked.

"I told you, he's my boyfriend, Edward. And that's his sister, Alice." I said while pointing towards the girl in question. "Yes, they are vampires. And no, they do not drink human blood. They want to help, they all do."

"All? How many of them are there?" He asked.

"Uhmm, seven. Edward, Alice... Jasper, Alice's mate; Emmett and Rosalie; and Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle is a muggle doctor, and he can help treat the injured. Jasper fought in the Civil War here in America, so he can actually help with strategies. Emmett is huge, he can fight like no other. With Edward's mind reading and Alice's visions, we're very well off, I may say."

"Are you sure she's reliable?" He asked. Alice scoffed, not understanding how he could doubt her.

"Ron, she's not like Trelawney. She can actually see the future, based on decisions people make. She's not a fraud, you know." I defended my friend.

"Okay, okay." He responded, putting his arms up. "Hey, do you think I could have something to eat? I'm starving." He said a few seconds later.

I chuckled. "I'll work on some lunch for us, then. Would you like to take a nap while I do it? I know this time difference thing can be a real pain..."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that." He answered.

"You'll have to use my room. We only have two bedrooms in here. That okay?"

"'S fine, Bells. I'll just conjure a bed or something." I nodded.

"It's the door to the left. The bathroom is the door you'll see right in front of the staircase. Just clean yourself up, and we'll catch up more later."

He just nodded, grabbing the rucksack he had brought along and going up the stairs. I sighed, rubbing my temple to try to alleviate the pain that was forming there.

So many things to do, and I had no idea where to begin. I decided to start with lunch, and then we'd all sit down to discuss it all.

I heaved myself up and Edward followed. Alice got up right after, sitting in one of the kitchen's stools.

"You don't have to stay here, guys. I know food does not smell all that great for you." I told them.

Edward pulled me to him, and gave my forehead a peck. "I won't leave your side." He whispered. I felt a bit better already.

"I'll go soon, to tell the family we'll be having visitors later tonight." Alice said.

"You will?" I asked.

"Yup, you and Ron will go over." She said with finality, which meant she had seen it.

"Okay." I just shrugged. I had learned not to doubt Alice.

I worked on my and Ron's lunch quietly. I decided that, since Ron's had enough for a day, I'd make him something to remember Hogwarts. There were some pumpkin around, so I made juice out of it; then I worked on roasted beef and potatoes.

It was all done in an hour; Alice had just left to talk to the family, and I went upstairs to wake Ron up.

He had conjured a bed to himself, in which he barely fit; he had grown so tall. I could see that he wasn't having pleasant dreams, so I woke him up immediately.

He sat up, panting, gasping for air.

"Hey, hey, you're okay, you're okay." I whispered, running my hand through his hair. Despite all, he was still like a brother to me, even though we weren't as close and Harry and I. "I made lunch. Let's go get you fed, okay?" I was still whispering, waiting for him to breathe normally.

He nodded, getting up and following me to the kitchen.

"Pumpkin juice?" He asked once he sat down. I smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Bells. I missed it." He had barely finished talking before chugging it all down in two gulps. I had to laugh at him, he never changed.

We ate in silent, Edward sitting by me playing with the ends of my hair. I could see Ron getting back to being himself after he had his third serving. It made me feel better.

For the rest of the afternoon, we talked. He told me all they had been through to get the Horcrux from Umbridge, and how it affected them all. He explained all that happened prior to him leaving, and how he wanted to go back almost immediately after, but could not find them.

At around five, we left to go to the Cullen's house. Ron was a bit apprehensive, but tagged along.

As we pulled up, Alice was already waiting for us by the front door, smiling and swinging her arms by the side of her lithe body.

"Everyone's in the living room." Edward informed as he helped me out of the car. I just nodded and looked at Ron, who looked slightly green.

We went in and got comfortable, introducing each of the Cullens to Ron. He barely managed a nod their way, and I had to hold back a chuckle.

"So, what is it we are discussing?" Carlisle asked gently.

"I'm... Ron brought up something that had me thinking, and I decided to talk to you all before making the decision. My dad will agree no matter what, he's okay with whatever we do, but I wanted to talk to you all first."

"Go on, dear, we're all ears." Esme said softly. I smiled back at her.

"I may be going back to England. I just cannot stay here anymore while knowing my country is under attack. I know I came here for my father's protection, but he's just one person; I could be helping many. I'll put him into hiding in England. He's been practicing, and he can defend himself. It was my selfishness that brought him here; I should have let him decide it for himself." I said, mostly to myself. I was just now realizing that although he was a bit crazy, my father could protect himself if needed.

"England?" Carlisle asked. "It has been so long since I had been there. I miss it." He said, getting a faraway look.

"What? No, I'm not asking you all to come with me. You don't have to do that at all, I just wanted you to know I was thinking about it. I need to be closer to it all, need to know what is happening." I told them. I didn't really think they would actually want to come with me.

"Nonsense, Bella. We'll be going with you. I've already seen it, so no need to argue. I know you want us to be with you, don't deny it." Alice said.

I sighed. It was true; having them around would make me feel safer. But still, they couldn't just give up their lives for me.

"I can't ask you to do that. What about your lives? Everything that you have here?" I tried to reason with them.

"We'd be moving in a couple of years anyways." Edward told me. "Carlisle can barely pass for thirty as it is. We would have to start over; we're not giving anything up to go with you, love. Got it?" He said. I just sighed, and finally nodded.

Alice clapped her hands twice before squealing.

"Oh, England. I love their fashion. We'll have so much fun there." She started, but I cut her off.

"Alice, we'll be going to the middle of a war zone. I don't believe we'll actually stay in London for too long; we'll probably have to relocate a lot."

She sighed, looking dejected.

"Maybe after it's all over?" I compromised; it helped, she smiled back at me.

"Where will you be staying, Bells? You can't go home. Grimmauld Place is out, too. Your dad will have to hide, just like the goblins we saw."

"I know, Ron, I know. But I can't stay here anymore. Dora is almost at five months, she won't be able to apparate soon. We have no other means of communication. It's best if we're back in England." I told him.

He nodded. "You could try to contact my mum."

"No way. I'm not putting Mrs. Weasley in danger." I replied with finality. There was no way I would bring harm to that family. "Remus will be able to help us. We'll blend in with the muggles, but still be in contact with the wizarding community." I explained. "I'll probably stay with Dora for a while. You know..." I trailed.

"Yeah..." Ron whispered back.

"Anyways, it's settled then. We'll go back to England after Christmas, during the break from school. Ron, do you think you could help me erase my existence from this town? I won't be able to do it by myself. I'm sure Dad and Dora will help as well."

He nodded in agreement, and we discussed our plans.

Carlisle had a house in London, which we could use, since there was no way to link their name to me. Once there, we could cast all protective spells we knew. Ron would go back to Bill's and figure out how to find Harry and Hermione. I made him promise to let me know as soon as they got together again.

The rest of the week was spent planning. My father was eager to go back, saying he wanted to be back home. He didn't care about being killed, as long as he was in England. I rolled my eyes at that. I was not close to him, but I felt responsible for his safety.

Christmas was a small event. No one felt like celebrating, but we felt the need to be closer to our family. Dora and Remus were here, and we had a great time. They would help us erase mine and Dad's lives from this town. Carlisle had resigned and everyone was packed and ready to go.

Remus took care of our baggage, sending it all to Carlisle's place, while Dora set a portkey for us all. She made sure to get a big enough object so all of us could hold it.

As we all held the tray, Dora warned. "You'll feel something pull you, like a hook or something. Don't let go of the tray, no matter what, got it?" They all nodded. As she said that, the object glowed and we were traveling.

A few seconds later, we all landed right into the house's living room. Ron and I, being clumsy, fell right on our butts, while the rest landed gracefully. Even Dora managed to stay upright; I don't know how, what with her belly and lack of balance.

Ron said a hastily goodbye before apparating to Bill's place.

Before we left Forks, I had gotten Ron aside and given him some things. I used a piece of parchment I had laying around and wrote a letter to Harry and Hermione. I told them we would be together soon, and to take care of each other. Ron promised me he would deliver them.

Once everything was in place, I just collapsed onto my bed. I was exhausted.

My mind, though, had other plans. I drifted off to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but I had no control over my dreams. They still haunted me.

"_No. Don't take her."_ I was back to that faithful day.

I knew I was dreaming, yet I couldn't wake up. I trashed around the bed wildly, forcing my mind to stop remembering it all, but had no luck.

"_No, no... Vivi... where are you? Vivianna? _

I could hear someone call my name repeatedly, until I was finally woken up.

By my own scream.

* * *

_Vivianna is pronounced VeeVee-Anna ;)_

_I'm gonna leave you in a cliffhanger for a week. Does that make me evil?_

_Reviews are love!  
_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey everyone! Thanks for the patience... I was able to write two whole chapters while at the beach. It was soooo cold, I stayed in most of the time =P Too bad I had to play nanny to a 6-year-old for 4 days, or else I would have written more. _

_As a treat, this chapter is about twice as long as my others. _

_I apologize for the long monologue, though, but it was the only way I could make it work. _

_I hope you all enjoy it! =)_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. But I do own Vivianna ;)  
_

* * *

Chapter 6

I was panting. I did not want to remember that day; so much was lost.

I felt something cold on my forehead and sighed; it felt good.

I could still hear someone calling me, but it sounded so far away. I took some deep breaths and willed my heart to stop beating so fast. It took a few minutes, but I was finally conscious again. I noticed that the cold thing on my forehead was actually Edward's hand, and it was his voice I was hearing calling for me.

He looked so worried, so lost. Why did the dream come back?

"Bella, are you okay?" Edward whispered. "I've been trying to wake you up for half an hour. What happened? Who's Vivianna? Why are you crying, sweetheart?" He fired question after question.

I lifted a hand and brushed a finger under my eye, noticing the moisture; that dream always makes me cry.

"I'm okay, baby. I'm sorry I worried you, but I'm just not in my right mind to talk about it right now. I promise we'll talk later." I told him. There was no way I could relive it all tonight.

"Okay." He whispered back.

He then lay down next to me, bringing me closer to him. My head was on his chest, and I could feel it go up and down with each breath he took.

"I have to tell you something, but I'm afraid of what will happen to you." Edward said after a few minutes of silence.

"Just tell me." I whispered.

"Your father left." He said bluntly.

I sighed; it was certain he would do that.

"You don't look upset." He said while brushing some hair out of my face with his hand.

"I knew he would do that. He just went to America because I asked. He didn't want to go, he wanted to hide by himself, and fight. I even know where he went; to see my mum. I'm not close to my father at all, we have very different personalities and never saw eye-to-eye.

"When Dora married Remus, my dad spent some time not talking to her. I still don't know why; he cared for us, but he never went out of his way to do something nice, you know? My mum was always the one to celebrate our birthdays, she was the one to take us all to Diagon Alley when we needed something. My dad was never present, it was just the way he was; emotionally distant. But I still love him, and felt the need to protect him; I have seen too many horrible things, and could simply not lose another family member. It was my selfish thoughts that got me in Forks.

"My dad really loves my mum, though. He'd do anything to keep her safe, which must be why he went with me. My mum's pure blood, and she's connected to the Black family, even though she was erased from the family tree for marrying my dad, so she was safe. I'm rambling, aren't I?" I asked sleepily.

Edward chuckled. "I like it when you do that. It's one of the ways I can get into your mind. So, you knew all along your father would leave as soon as we got to England?" I nodded. "And I was worried about the way you would react to the news." He chuckled humorlessly. "Do you think you can go back to sleep?" He whispered when he saw my eyes closing.

"Can you stay with me, please? I don't want to have another bad dream." I asked. He just started running his hand through my hair and hum the lullaby he had written for me. I sighed contently and drifted off yet again.

I woke up a few hours later; no more nightmares haunted me during the night. I was very aware, though, that I had not told Edward anything about it, and was expecting an interrogation today.

I took a shower while Edward went downstairs to prepare some breakfast for me. I had protested, but he insisted. Once I made it to the kitchen, he informed me that the rest of the family had gone out to find new hunting places.

"Bella?" Edward called me when I finished eating. I looked up, waiting for him to continue. "Can you tell me about your dream last night?" He asked carefully, fearing my reaction.

I sighed.

"I don't know, Edward. It was all so horrible." I tried to dissuade him.

"Who's Vivianna? You kept calling for her." He asked. Just the name brought tears to my eyes once again.

"She's my... my baby..." I tried to tell him, but the sobs had already started.

Edward got up from the stool he was sitting on, and pulled me to his lap while sitting on my stool.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you." He whispered, rocking me gently.

"You didn't." I chocked out through my sobs. "It just hurts thinking about her." I told him, trying to alleviate his guilt.

It took me a while to calm down. Luckily the family would be out for a while so they didn't have to witness my breakdown.

After I had lunch, I set about to cast all protective spells I knew about, to make this house safe. Edward tagged along, apparently fascinated by it all.

"Is it safe now?" He asked with a bit of humor in his voice once I was done.

"As safe as I can have it. Dora knows more about protective spells than I. I was good at transfiguration, while Hermione was the best with charms. Harry was a Defense Against the Dark Arts expert and Ron... well, he mostly had to ask our help a lot." I chuckled, remembering my friends.

"I can't wait to meet them all." Edward said while embracing me. We stayed like that for a while, until he broke the silence.

"Bella, can I ask you again about your nightmare?" He softly asked.

I sighed. I had promised myself a few weeks ago that I would tell him everything. No more secrets.

"Okay." I whispered back. "But can we go somewhere? I don't want anyone to hear what I have to say before I'm ready to tell them."

"How about, you go change and I'll take you out for a picnic?" He asked, most likely trying to make me feel comfortable.

"Sounds great. I'll be back in a second." I told him while going to my room to change. I took a few deep breaths, before going through my trunk to collect some items I would need. I put them all in a small bag that Hermione had charmed for me with an Undetectable Extension Charm; she was better at it than I.

Edward was waiting for me at the front door, holding a car key.

"Carlisle called ahead and got us two cars. I know you can do that disappearing thing, but we needed to move around somehow." He explained.

I giggled. "It's called Apparating. And I'd take you by Side-along Apparation, but I've never done it before and I'm scared I'll hurt you." I told him. "A car is fine by me."

He nodded, taking it all in. He took my hand in his and guided me to the car.

"Oh, wait, before we leave." I had to change my appearance. I usually had my brown hair and brown eyes, trying to blend in as much as possible, so most wizards and witches knew me looking like that. I would have to change it all drastically.

I closed my eyes and focused; my hair grew out a few inches, curling up and turning black, while my eyes turned green. I changed the shape of my nose and lips as well.

"How do I look?" I asked once I was finished.

Edward was gaping at me, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"You look beautiful." He said while pecking my lips and opening my car door. We left the garage and soon we were off.

He could drive really well, despite the difference in sides. And he seemed to know his way around the city quite well. I could see almost immediately where he would be taking me; Regent's Park.

It took us a few minutes to park the car and get to the Park, but I wasn't complaining. It felt so good to be back home.

We sat down under a tree, side-by-side. He sat the picnic basket down on his other side, and I cuddled close to him.

"I promised myself I would tell you everything. I trust you, but I was... am, scared to relive it all again. But you deserve to know, Edward. Just please... don't interrupt me. I'm... it gets very bad, and I can't go on if I'm interrupted." I said.

"Okay." He whispered. I think he may have sensed the severity of it all.

"I have a baby sister. Vivianna Carina Tonks. She's almost two years younger than I, and we got along great, better than Dora and I. She could change her appearance as well, since this 'gift' is genetic; so we spent hours practicing so we could learn how to control it. Dora helped when she could, but then she went to Hogwarts and couldn't help as much. Vivi and I spent most of our time together. We lived here in London, and we spent most of our time in the muggle world; that's how I know so much about it. Grandma Tonks was the best, she taught Vivi and I many things, including how to read and write, and also most things about muggles.

"I went to school when I was eleven, almost twelve. So we only spent one year apart, since she was born in May. She was so excited to go there." I said, my eyes unfocused. "When she entered the Great Hall, her hair was bright purple; she was bouncing up and down while walking, and waving towards my table, trying to find me. I changed my hair to match hers, just to make her happy.

"She didn't go to my house, though. She was sorted into Ravenclaw; which was great, because my sister is the most clever and witty witch I have ever seen. She was a bit dejected that we weren't together, but I cheered her up right away.

"We spent a lot of our free time together. We weren't twins, but still, we had that weird connection that twins have. I could feel when she was sad or hurt. When she tried out for her Quidditch house team, I went there to cheer for her. She ended up only getting in on her third year, on her second try. I was so happy for her, but a bit apprehensive.

"You see, on my third year, I had made it to the team. I was a Chaser; because I had good reflexes and was fast. And don't say anything about my balance, because I think I overcompensated it in the air. Me and my broomstick were like one when I was flying. Vivi was a Seeker.

"For me, it was a good thing, because I wouldn't have to worry much about her."

"I know you said no interruptions, but I still don't know about Quidditch. I'm trying to put all the information you gave me together, but still can't visualize it." Edward said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, Quidditch has seven players each team. A Keeper, a Seeker, three Chasers and two Beaters. The keeper is just like the goalie in football, it protects the three hoops where the Chasers must score. The Chasers throw the Quaffle – one of the balls in the game – to each other and try to score. Ten points every time it goes through one hoop.

"The Beaters are the ones that have to keep the players safe from Bludgers. Two Bludgers fly around the field throughout the game trying to take down players, and the Beaters must keep their team safe. They carry a bat – kind of like a baseball bat, only shorter – to beat the Bludgers away.

"And finally, the Seeker; he's the one that ends the game. You see, a game can only end after the Seeker catches the Golden Snitch; it's a really small golden ball that flies really fast around the field. It gives the team that caught it a hundred and fifty points, which usually means they win, but not always. Got it? It's kind of hard to explain; I'll have to take you to a game one day, and I'll lend you _Quidditch Through the Ages_ when we get home." I tried to summarize the rules.

"Yes, I think I got it. And I'll want that book. But continue..." He said.

"Right. So, Vivi was a Seeker, so I didn't have to worry so much about playing against her because I wouldn't be in direct contact with her. She was really good, and since she could change her appearance, she would make herself slim on game day so she could fly faster.

"My sister was very bright and happy; she was always smiling, always in a good mood. She was the best in her year, and she studied hard to keep it that way."

"Can I interrupt again?" Edward asked timidly.

"Yeah, sure; I haven't gotten to the worst part yet." I told him.

"How come each of you was in a different house? I remember Ron thinking about his family, all red-heads, and all wearing golden and red. They were all in the same house right, your house?" I nodded. "How come you and your sisters weren't?"

"Well... the hat picks out our best traits. Even though we were sisters, we each had very distinct personalities, so I can see why we ended up in different houses. It didn't matter, though; since none of us ended up in Slytherin, we were fine.

"Anyways, on my second year, Ron's little sister, Ginny, was possessed and opened the Chamber of Secrets, which contained the Basilisk Ron mentioned. Harry was able to open it, because he became a Parselmouth when You-Know-Who tried to kill him. It means he can talk to snakes." I explained before he could ask me. He nodded, so I continued.

"Vivi was really scared when the Professors talked about closing the school; she had only just arrived. But thankfully that was not the case.

"On my third year, someone escaped Azkaban. To tell you the truth, it was my cousin Sirius that escaped." I said, trying to get a reaction out of Edward. It worked; his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"He was innocent. And we managed to prove it; but our witness, Peter Pettigrew, managed to escape – he was the one that had murdered the ones that Sirius was accused of killing. It was a full moon and Remus transformed, which got us all in danger; werewolves can't really discern right from wrong, so he could have attacked us.

"Harry and Hermione were able to go back in time and save Sirius from going back to prison. He had to go into hiding, but it was better than rotting in a prison cell, with dementors all around.

"Our mother always believed that Sirius was innocent. She would tell us stories about him; they were cousins, and had gone to Hogwarts at around the same time. He was also cut off the family tree; he was a Gryffindor, while the rest of his family all went into Slytherin. My mum was a Hufflepuff, too, like Dora. Her sisters, Narcissa and Bellatrix, were in Slytherin. Bellatrix was in Azkaban, too.

"I was really happy to be able to meet my second cousin, but sad he had to leave. Vivi was even sadder, because she never got the chance to talk to him. She loved him, even though they had never met.

"In my fourth year, things started to go down. A Triwizard Tournament was held in Hogwarts. Three schools participated: Hogwarts, Beauxbaton and Durmstrang. One champion from each school was chosen by the Goblet of Fire. However, after the three champions were chosen, the Goblet spit out another name, Harry's. He was forced to participate, even if he didn't want to. He was under seventeen, so in truth he shouldn't be allowed to participate because he was underage.

"It was very hard for him. We all helped in any way we could. We researched things for him, and practiced spells with him. Even Vivi helped out; she was book smart just like Hermione, and both of them together was a force to be reckoned.

"A student died. Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff; he was the Hogwarts champion. Harry said it was You-Know-Who who had killed him, but most people did not believe Harry at first.

"I did, and so did Vivianna. We were both scared of what was to come, since Harry had said You-Know-Who was really back for good. All the years of terror would come back; luckily we hadn't lived through it the first time, but we knew we would see some horrendous things.

"My sister was very emotional; she was scared of being alone. During the summer holiday, we both stayed with Dora – she had finished her Auror training. Well, actually, we stayed in Sirius' house, which for Vivi was great. She got to bond with the only family member that was like us – outcasts in our own family.

"Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys were all there too. Sirius' house was turned into the Order of the Phoenix headquarters; it was a very safe place. Members of the Order were always around. We didn't have a lot of fun, though. Mrs. Weasley had us helping her clean up the whole place, which was a mess. No one had lived there for at least ten years or so.

"There were many meetings to discuss new plans, but we weren't allowed to participate in them. I didn't care much, because Dora would always find a way to update us on what was going on, but the guys wanted to be in there to discuss things. They wanted to be useful.

"Harry had a hearing, because he had used magic outside of Hogwarts; it is forbidden for witches and wizards under seventeen. Because of what had happened the year before, Harry was almost expelled, because the Minister for Magic did not want to believe my friend.

"The Ministry interfered through the whole year. The Minister, Mr. Fudge, sent one of his employees to be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Dolores Umbridge. Even her name still gives me chills.

"She was pure evil. Slowly, she started to take over the school, and the Minister just egged her on, giving her more and more power. We weren't taught spells in her class; we had to read chapters. So Hermione came up with the idea of getting a group of people together to actually practice defensive and offensive spells.

"So the D.A. was created. Dumbledore's Army; apparently, Fudge thought Dumbledore was creating his own army with his students, and Ginny thought it would be a good name. We all agreed.

"For months, we would meet up in the Requirement Room to practice. Harry was our tutor, and he was brilliant. Vivi and I had a lot of fun, and we ended up making a lot of friends. She was friends with one girl called Luna Lovegood, but I didn't know her well. I got to know her better in the DA. She was in Vivi's year." I took a deep breath; it was only going to get worse from now on.

"That year, many things happened. Because the Minister didn't want to believe You-Know-Who was back, he did many stupid things, be it mocking Harry and Dumbledore any way he could to bringing that toad to teach us. So, we were unprotected; we had to fend for ourselves.

"That year we also discovered Harry had a connection with You-Know-Who; that was why Dumbledore wanted Harry to learn Occlumency, but he never managed to master it. Dumbledore was afraid of what that connection could mean, and that it was just a matter of time until You-Know-Who discovered it and used it against Harry.

"That was exactly what happened. Just before Christmas break, Harry had a dream about Ron's dad, Arthur Weasley, being attacked. It turned out to be true, and it also wasn't a dream, but You-Know-Who infiltrating Harry's mind.

"He used this connection to show Harry that he had captured Sirius in a room at the Ministry of Magic. Harry tried to contact Sirius through the only fireplace available, but we were discovered. Ginny, Luna, Vivi, Hermione, Neville, Ron, Harry and I were all caught, and Umbridge almost forced down a truth potion down Harry's throat. We all escaped our captors, but since Harry wasn't able to reach Sirius, we all flew to London."

"With what?" Edward asked.

"Thestrals. They're magical creatures and the only ones who can see them are the ones who have seen death. Anyways, we all went to the Ministry, and found the room Harry had seen. It was the Hall of Prophecy at the Department of Mysteries. That was where everything happened.

"Sirius was obviously not there. But we found a prophecy with Harry's name on it, and the moment he took it out of the shelf, many Death Eaters appeared, surrounding us. They wanted the prophecy; it had something to do with the Dark Lord and Harry, and they wanted to hear it.

"We fought them. Well, we tried. We smashed shelves and threw spells at random, but they were better. We got separated; Vivi was right next to me one time, and then she was gone. I was with Luna, and we managed to fight our Death Eaters fairly and ended up meeting up with everyone again in a big room with an arch and a veil in the middle.

"We were still fighting; Ginny had a broken leg and Neville had a broken nose. Ron was attacked by brains and was not doing well, and Hermione was unconscious. Vivi had a broken arm, but otherwise she was fine, and I had a few scratches here and there. Members of the Order apparated to where we were, including Sirius and Dora.

"My aunt Bellatrix was among the Death Eaters, and she was able to hit Dora; she fell unconscious. The situation was almost under control, with most Death Eaters captured, just Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix were free. Bellatrix wanted to fight, and she kept taunting us all. Sirius started fighting her, and she was able to hit him too; only he... he..." I started crying silently.

"He fell through the veil. But he didn't show on the other side as he was supposed to. He simply vanished; Remus explained that it was an old way of killing people. They would just walk through the arch and die." I took a deep breath to continue. The tears just kept falling continuously.

"Harry ran after Bellatrix, and she led him straight to You-Know-Who; he told us briefly about what happened in there, but I don't want to go into detail. The members of the Order were walking around tending to all the injured.

"I ran to Dora, who was still unconscious; I could see her chest go up and down so I knew she was alive. I tried everything to reanimate her, but nothing worked. I was so distracted." I started crying harder.

"Everyone was distracted, and so no one noticed that Malfoy was not tied up with the others. Kingsley Shacklebolt – another member of the Order – saw Malfoy move and threw a spell at him. Malfoy... he... I don't know for whom he was aiming, but before Shacklebolt's spell hit him, the one he cast hit Vivi, and she disappeared." I had to stop, I was sobbing too hard.

Edward pulled me on his lap and gently rocked me back and forth to try to calm me. He then handed me a bottle of water he had brought for me, and I almost drank it all in one gulp.

"Thanks." I whispered. "That's the worst part; the not knowing. Malfoy was captured just after that, but the way he was looking at me. He's... he's my uncle!" I exclaimed. "He's married to my mother's sister, and yet he harmed his own family.

"The last time I heard her voice, she was screaming. And then she was gone; she didn't go through the veil because we were far away from it. I think the spell was supposed to hit me, but she jumped in front of me to protect me." I wiped some tears with the back of my hand.

"She... she was my baby sister, and I failed her. Mother simply gave up on her, she and dad think Vivi's dead. Dora keeps looking whenever she can, but she's lost hope. But I know... I know my sister is alive. I can feel it. I would know it if she were dead. She's alive... she is... she is." I started weeping again.

"I know she is; we'll find her." Edward whispered while comforting me.

For over a year, I had kept it all inside. Dora tried to help as much as she could, but I was lost. I bottle it all in and immersed myself into my studies. I had to learn about everything; I needed to do my best to get my sister back.

It was my fault. I should have never allowed her to go along with us; having both my sisters fighting Death Eaters along with me was excruciating. Vivi was lost because of me, and I would not give up until I found her.

It took another twenty minutes and another bottle of water for me to calm down. Edward handed me a sandwich on which I nibbled slowly, just for something to do. We stayed in silence for a long time; it could have been close to an hour.

Edward didn't pry; he knew me well, and noticed I needed time to recover. Slowly, with my half eaten sandwich in one hand, I reached over for bag and stuck my free hand inside, feeling its contents until I found the one I was looking for.

I handed Edward the picture, and was relieved by his reaction, for it broke my bad mood.

"It's moving." He exclaimed lowly.

"It's a potion we use to reveal our pictures. That's Vivi and I at the beginning of my fifth year." I explained.

"She looks just like you." He whispered. I was glad that he used the present tense; it meant he had hope, just like me.

"Yeah, well... we all can change our appearances, so we can make ourselves look like twins or completely different people. Vivi and Dora like colorful hair; Dora loves her bubblegum pink hair that you saw, and Vivi goes for purple or blue. I'm more reserved, and prefer to blend in. I only ever changed my hair when Vivi asked or on Gryffindor games; then I would have red hair with golden streaks.

"Vivi did that, too. She could be seen walking around the castle on game day with her hair blue and bronze. When we weren't playing each other, we both supported the other's house as well. We had so much fun." I told him.

"I like this moving picture. You can see that your smiles are genuine and that you truly love each other, and are not just posing for the photo. Can you teach me how to do that?" He asked, hope in his eyes.

I giggled. "I think so; it's a potion, so it does not require much magic, just the right ingredients that are bought in an apothecary." His eyes lit up. "Not every class we have use wands, you know."

"Awesome!" He exclaimed, truly looking like the seventeen-year-old boy he was supposed to be.

I was glad I could make him happy among all this.

"Tell me more." He said, hugging me closer to him; it wasn't difficult since I was still sitting on his lap.

"More what?"

"About your world. About you and Vivi. I want to know everything." He said while kissing my hair.

I sighed. "Well, I already explained briefly about Hogwarts and Quidditch... what else do you want to know?"

"How do you know you're a witch? Are you born one?" He asked.

"Yes, you are born one. Children can perform wandless magic. We sometimes are able to float, or do some simple things. That starts happening when we're about six or so. Most witches and wizards have at least one magical person in their family; if your mother or father was a wizard, there is a high chance that you will be one too. Sometimes there are the Muggle-borns, which I think I already explained."

"Yes, you did." He reminded me.

"Yes, they aren't as common as a half-blood or pure-blood. And ever rarer are squibs. They're like the opposite of Muggle-borns. A squib comes from a magical family, but has no magic in them. Mr. Filch, the caretaker at Hogwarts, is a squib. We found out last year."

"Okay, I understood all that. When do you buy your wand? Can anyone buy one?"

"We get our first wand when we start school; it's part of our school supplies. But it's not everyone that can buy one; because the magic comes from within us, so say you tried to use my wand, nothing would happen because you don't have the 'power' needed to use it."

"And if you broke it?"

"It's replaceable. You can conquer a wand in a duel; if you defeat your opponent, the wand can be yours. If it breaks, you can buy a new one."

"Right. And where exactly do you buy all this?" He asked.

I chuckled. "Diagon Alley, baby, I've told you. I would take you there right now if it weren't so dangerous. My head is worth a lot nowadays. I can't just go around my world parading it." I chuckled humorlessly.

"Is there any exclusive town of only wizards and witches?" He changed the subject quickly.

"Uhm, yes... Hogsmeade is one. It's near Hogwarts, actually, and we're allowed to spend some weekends there from our third year on. Godric's Hollow, the town where Harry is from, is not exclusively ours, but it was named after Godric Gryffindor. He lived there when he was alive. I can't recall any other town, but I'm sure there must be others."

He kissed my hair again. "That is so amazing. There is another world right under our noses and we never noticed it."

"I know, right?"

He nodded against my hair. "Tell me more about you." He murmured.

"I don't know... my middle name is a constellation, just like both my sisters'. It means Lyre, the musical instrument. I never had a boyfriend before you; many boys asked, but I always turned them down. We had the Yule Ball on my forth year, and my date was Vivi." I chuckled. "I was never good at Care of Magical Creatures, and I dropped it after my O.W.L.s."

"Owls?"

"No, O.W.L.s. It's our Ordinary Wizarding Level. We take it on our fifth year, and depending on our grades, we are able to choose the classes we want to continue. If you fail a subject, you cannot continue it the next year. I didn't fail any, but I dropped Care of Magical Creatures because I sucked at it, and History of Magic because it was a bore; I slept through it a lot."

He chuckled. "You slept in class?"

"You would, too, if you could. Professor Binns is a ghost; it's said that he one day got up to teach his class, but left his body behind. He uses the same tone of voice throughout the whole class, and can make even vampires fall asleep while talking about wars between goblins and wizards that happened hundreds of years ago. He can make gorry and blood boring." I explained. That class really was the worst thing first thing in the morning. Or at any other time.

"Bella?" Edward suddenly asked. "Thank you." He whispered.

"Thank you for what?"

"For trusting me; for opening up to me. You have to know that I love you more than anything and would do anything for you, even if only a shoulder to cry on. I don't want you to think you must keep things from me, even if you think they'll hurt me. I love you, and I want to help you with everything." He said in a low voice, his mouth so close to my left ear it gave me goosebumps.

"I love you, too. And thank you for accepting me, and listening. I had all this inside of me for over a year, afraid of saying anything out loud. Last year, I was just a shell of myself. Hermione was the one that was there. Harry did everything he could to cheer me up, but he had lost his godfather; we were both grieving. It felt weird, being in Hogwarts and not seeing that bright purple hair around. My heart ached every time I passed through some place I knew Vivi would have been."

The tears came back, but they were silent.

"Bella, we will find her. No matter what, we'll find her." Edward promised before embracing me closer.

* * *

_Holy S**t, that was long. Phew... _

_I had to change a little bit of 'The Order of the Phoenix' storyline to fit my characters, but it wasn't much. _

_I consulted all Harry Potter books while writing this chapter, so if something sounds familiar, it's because I most likely paraphrased it. _

_Quidditch Through the Ages is a real book that J. K. Rowling published: it's really awesome =)_

_The information on London I got on Wikipedia, so if it's wrong, I apologize. I have no idea if picnics are allowed at Regent's Park, by the way.  
_

_**Carina:** It is the latin name for the keel of a ship, and the constellation was part of a larger one called Argo Navis (the ship Argo), thus the name. Family: Heavenly Waters. Brightest Star: Canopus._

_Btw, **Vivianna**'s name was not chosen at random ;) That's a tip lol. I just added an 'n' to it, so if you want to look it up, look for Viviana.  
_

_Please, please, pleaaase, can I get some reviews?  
_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey guys!_

_Here's a new chapter ready to go =) I hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own in Vivianna. =)  
_

* * *

Chapter 7

When we got back from our picnic, everyone else had arrived. They said they found a few places to hunt small game, but that it would suffice for the moment.

Days passed by. It would be the end of the Christmas break soon, if I were in Hogwarts. Edward and I talked more freely about my world and what I had been through; he worried too much, though, so I had to edit my stories sometimes.

I told him more about my family, this time including Vivi in most of my stories. He liked when I talked about my world; he said I had this passion in my eyes that he had never seen before.

He asked me more about my friends and how we all met. I could tell him everything about Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone else: my Quidditch teammates, my house mates, my enemies. He wanted to know about the schooling system, and was fascinated with it. He liked the idea of giving points to stimulate students to study and do well; and taking them when the student misbehaved or forgot their homework. Since the points, gained or lost, would go to their house and not just themselves, students tried harder to do their best. Most of the time.

I hadn't found the courage to tell him about Umbridge's detentions.

I lent him some of my books so he could learn things by himself. He had read _Hogwarts, a History_ two times and asked if they had written a sequel to it. Alice and Carlisle were also very intrigued by it all, Carlisle most of all. He also had read all my books already and had asked where he could buy more. He was very interested in our kind of Medicine.

The rest of the Cullens slowly got used to the 'new' me. And they also got used to not having electricity and mobiles working inside the house. Since I had cast the protection spells, the magic in the house interfered with the muggle appliances. I was used to it, and they said they could live without it for a while. Emmett whined a lot, but in the end he gave in.

I explained briefly to all of them what was going on in our world. Since I was back in Britain, I could listen to Fred and George's radio broadcast. It took me a few times trying to figure out the password, but I finally got it, and then listened to it every time.

It was getting dark, and I was getting ready for bed when I heard and felt my bracelet buzz.

_Ron's here. Got one destroyed. Thnx for the letter. Talk soon. Love, M._

They had found another way to destroy a Horcrux! And Ron had found his way back; I was so glad about that. I could only imagine the verbal lashing Hermione must have given him. I chuckled just thinking about it.

"What's so funny?" Edward asked as he entered our room.

"Just thinking. Ron found Harry and Hermione. I was just thinking about the things Hermione must have said to Ron. She is known for her temper." I told him, smiling slightly. "They also destroyed a Horcrux." I informed him.

"Good." said he.

I sighed and got under my covers. I was asleep in seconds.

Dora visited almost every day. The Cullen's house had a reasonable backyard, and I practiced there every chance I had. Edward agreed on being my target; Alice and Jasper helped me too. Dora instructed me, since she had gone through Auror training.

She was almost six months pregnant now, but could still fight really well. I did not use any spells on her, though, afraid she would get hurt. She was very frustrated for not being a part of it, but she resigned on being my coach.

Weeks passed by, and the only news I had on my friends were the sparse updates Hermione would send me. _Luna's been taken; Almost got caught; Harry's gone mad, keeps thinking about the Deathly Hallows; _

Deathly Hallows... I have heard about them, in a story mother used to read for us: _The Tale of the Three Brothers _from that book _The Tales of Beedle the Bard. _I wasn't so sure what she meant, so I had Dora bring me my copy of the book in one of her visits.

Deathly Hallows... three powerful objects that Death itself had given to three brothers: the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility. Mother would say that these brothers were the Peverell brothers, but wasn't sure.

Why would Harry be obsessing over these things? Well, he did have an invisibility cloak, but that was it. Is there such a thing as an unbeatable wand? Or a stone that could resurrect the dead?

I mulled over it for days. It still didn't make any sense to me. They should be worrying about Horcruxes, not unbeatable wands or stones. I said it so to Hermione and she had said she was constantly pestering Harry to let that go and focus on their main task.

She managed to tell me they had a sword, and I instantly thought about Gryffindor's sword. Was that what they had used to destroy the Horcrux? I believe it was. It made me feel better to know they had another way to protect themselves.

January and February flew by; I still practiced every day, and Dora's visits became rarer; as she was almost giving birth. Which was why I found it strange when Dora, Remus and my mother showed up one day in March.

They all had somber looks on their faces, and I knew something horrible must have happened.

"Mum!" I exclaimed when I saw her come in behind Esme. I immediately got up and gave her a hug. I had missed her so much.

"Oh, my baby. I missed you." She whispered, hugging me tight. My mother had light brown hair and gentle eyes, and unfortunately looked a bit like her sister, Bellatrix.

"Missed you, too." I whispered back, releasing her and greeting Dora and Remus. "You must have a reason to be here, though." I stated.

"Bee... did you listen to _Potterwatch_ yesterday?" Dora asked.

"The radio broadcast? No, I missed the last one and didn't catch the password. But I knew Remus would be there, so I just thought I'd wait for the news. Why? What happened?" I looked at them.

"Bella, baby... your father, he.. he..." Mom started to say, but couldn't finish her sentence, for she started crying. She didn't have to, I understood what she meant.

My father was dead.

The tears started to fall silently from my eyes, as I kept my gaze on my mother.

"How?" I asked.

"Murdered, along with a goblin and Dirk Cresswell. They were going into hiding, I think they got caught by Snatchers." Remus said. "I'm so sorry."

I started crying along with my mother and sister. I got up from where I was sitting, so I could sit closer to them.

Mother pulled me into an embrace as soon as I was within reach.

"I'm so sorry, Mum." I whispered against her neck. "I should have insisted. He would have been safe." I said.

"It is not your fault, Isabella Lyra." She said, grabbing my face with both her hands and looking me in the eyes. "You did your best, you went out of your way to take care of him, and he repaid you by sneaking out the moment he was in London. He knew he was safe with you, but he wanted to do something. It is not your fault, baby girl. Please, don't blame yourself."

I nodded to appease her, but I still felt guilty.

I stayed in my mother's arms for the rest of the day. She had already cried herself to sleep the night before, and was trying to stay strong for us all. She talked to the Cullens as if she had known them for years, not once being judgmental.

I insisted on them sleeping over. It was dangerous to go around town at night, and mother was in no state to apparate. I prepared us all a nice dinner and they all retired to their bedrooms soon after; it had been a tiring day.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Edward whispered once I lay down.

"Not your fault, Edward. I knew something would happen. I should have been more insistent on him staying with us. He would have been safe." I whimpered.

"He didn't like that, Bella. I could hear it in his mind, he felt like a burden to you. Many times he would think about you and how he regretted your relationship. He knew he should have been a better father, and by leaving you, he thought he was doing the right thing." Edward explained. "He did love you, Bella, even though he was distant."

"Thanks, Edward. That does make me feel better." And it did. At least I knew my father appreciated what I had done. It didn't prevent me crying myself to sleep, though.

When I woke up in the morning, it felt like I hadn't slept at all. My limbs felt heavy and I was still dead tired.

And it got worse.

I got one message from Hermione saying, _Think we got caught, do not send me any messages until I contact you. Love, M._

I got up from the couch I was sitting on the moment I received it.

"Oh, Merlin, what am I going to do? What are they going to do?" I murmured to myself.

Edward had to break my trance by pulling me to him, for I couldn't hear anything.

"What happened?" Dora asked.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione were captured. Snatchers, maybe? Think Harry was stupid enough to say You-Know-Who's name?" I rambled.

"Probably." Remus sighed. "Is there anything we can do?" He asked.

"Hermione asked me not to contact her until she sends me a message first. She never tells me where they are and always talks in riddles when referring to one of their tasks so no one will know what it's about. I'm not sure how they'll escape from this, but Hermione is clever. She will figure a way out. I know she will."

Having my friends in the hands of Death Eaters was almost as bad as Vivi vanishing. It made me apprehensive, and I had to find a way to distract myself. So I trained. I practiced every spell I knew and others I had learned. I tried to cast them all non-verbally; it took a while, but I managed to do it to most spells. I still had some difficulties with the more offensive ones, though.

I couldn't be there with them, so I did what I could. Remus told me what Kingsley had been preaching about protecting our muggle neighbors, and I put it into practice, casting protective spells around the houses near ours, being careful not to overdo it like I did with our place or else nothing would work in their home.

It took only a few hours for me to receive a new message. _Escaped. We're all safe, found some people. Dobby's dead. Love, M._

I sighed in relief.

"They've escaped. They have also found some people. Hermione says they're all safe. Except Dobby." I finished in a whisper.

A few seconds later, another message came through.

_Found something else, too. Must tell you in person. Love, M._

What would that be?

~ X ~

We had a small memorial for my father. We couldn't have a funeral, but we wanted him to be remembered. Mother wrote a headstone, and we took it over to Boothferry Park, former home for the Hull City A. F. C. in Kingston upon Hull. We all made the journey by car, just like Dad used to do.

Mother set the headstone near the demolition site, and we all just stayed there. The Cullens paid their respect and left to wait by the cars. They had all met my father, but didn't really know him; Mum, Dora and I spent half an hour crying over his headstone; he may have been distant, but he was still my Daddy and I would miss him greatly.

I spent days without eating or sleeping well; my father's death had really affected me, and hearing my friends had been caught on the same day, even if only for a few hours, really took a toll on me. It was hard just getting out of bed, let alone eating.

My mum was really worried about me, and even though she was suffering more than I could ever imagine, she stayed with me for over a week, until she was sure I was getting better. She got very scared about my attitude; it reminded her of how I was last year.

Dora had stayed with us while Remus had to take care of some things. She could barely move with her huge belly, but she managed to distract me when I needed it. She was a good sister.

April soon came along. My sister was ready to give birth, and we were all expectant. Remus was truly nervous. After he had almost run away from his family, he had decided to be there every step of it all. He had also informed me that he and Dora would name Harry as the baby's godparent along with me.

I was reading a new spell book that mother had given me when the wolf Patronus appeared on our living room.

"It's time." It said in Remus' voice.

I squealed and jumped from the couch. I was ready a few minutes later, biding them all goodbye before apparating to St. Mungo's, where Dora was.

She was already in labor, and three hours later, little Ted Remus Lupin was born. He was beautiful, and apparently had gotten the metamorphmagus gene, because his hair changed color slightly an hour after he was born. He was also named after our father.

I was an aunt. And a godmother. It still hadn't sunk in.

"Would you like to hold him, Bee?" Dora asked, looking at me.

Very carefully, I cradled little Teddy in my arms. He looked perfect. I gave his tiny forehead a kiss before gently rocking him back and forth. His breath soon deepened and he went back to sleep.

"He's beautiful, sis." I whispered as to not wake him. "He's got our gene, too. His hair's blonde now." I told her.

"Yeah, I know. Aren't we supposed to be rare?" She replied.

"Well, it is genetic. Guess it just didn't skip a generation or anything." I reasoned.

I stayed with my sister the whole day. Remus had gone out, but could not tell me where he was going, as it was protected by a Secret Keeper.

Mother visited, too. She was sold the moment she had laid eyes on Teddy; he was a charming newborn. She was also glad to see us all smile. It had been a while since my last genuine smile.

"Teddy. My first grandchild. You are so beautiful, and so blessed, little one." She whispered to the newborn's sleeping form. "You have the most amazing parents, both courageous, smart and good looking. And your auntie is ready to spoil you to death; she's the brightest little witch I know." She sighed. "I wish you could have met your granddad and auntie Vivi. They would have loved you, too."

The tears were back.

"Mum." I whispered. "Please." I pleaded. She should have some hope. She must have; I think she just didn't want to believe in it and then get her hopes crushed.

Remus came back later at night, a little bit drunk, but extremely happy. Mother had gone home and Dora was already asleep, so she didn't hear him come in.

"I saw Harry, Bells. He's alright. I think. He, and Hermione, and Ron are fine. There were so many people there, though. I think I must have seen Luna. Maybe Harry rescued her? Bill's really nice. Harry asked me to give this to you." He babbled. Remus shouldn't drink, he never makes any sense when he did.

I did grab the piece of parchment on his hand and tucked it in my pocket for later. I would read it when I got home.

"Oh, and Hermione, too, wanted me to give you this." He reached for another piece of parchment inside his pocket and handed it to me.

"Thanks, Remus." I whispered.

"Sure thing, Bells. You're a very nice sister-in-law, did you know that? I have always heard that in-laws were supposed to be awful and all, but you're nice. And your mother's nice, too."

I chuckled. "Remus, why are you drunk?"

"We all drank some wine to celebrate Teddy's birth. My goblet was always full for some reason. I kept drinking it, but there it was, always full. Maybe it was magical?" He said with a glint to his eyes.

"It's probable. Or maybe someone just kept refilling it for you." I said, trying to reason with him.

"Oh, yeah. Maybe that was it. Bells, do you mind if I go home for a while?" I shook my head. "I'll be back." He said before going out of the room to apparate home.

I spent the night with Dora. Remus was in no condition to take care of my sister, and I didn't mind staying.

Teddy was brought back to her room in the morning; his hair was green.

"Morning, Bee." Dora greeted from her bed. I had fallen asleep sometime during the night; at least the couch was comfortable.

"Morning." I mumbled, getting up. "Morning to you, too, little nephew." I greeted both with a kiss on the forehead before heading to the nearest bathroom.

Dora stayed in St. Mungo's for two days, and then went back home with Mum and Remus; Mum would be helping them out for the first weeks.

I went back to the Cullen's place after Dora went home. I had the biggest smile on my face when I walked through the door, holding my camera in one hand.

"Bella." Almost everyone seemed to exclaim at the same time. Alice ran towards me and hugged me tight before pecking my cheek and dancing back to Jasper, who smiled and nodded my way.

Emmett gave me his dimpled smile before putting me in a bear hug.

Esme and Carlisle were gentler and greeted me with light hugs and kisses.

Edward's eyes shone when he saw the camera. "Hello, love." He whispered, giving my lips a small kiss before asking, "are you going to do what I think you are?"

I nodded, smiling at him; he beamed back at me.

"What do you need?" He eagerly asked, while everyone else looked at us confused.

"Well, since you're offering, I really need my trunk." I told him. Every book I had bought for Hogwarts, potion ingredients, quills, parchment, my caldron and broomstick were in there; I think I had all the necessary ingredients for the potion.

Edward was back in less than a minute, setting my trunk down near me.

"Thanks, babe." I thanked him with a kiss.

I started rummaging through it, pulling things out and setting them on the table. My caldron was the first thing, then a pile of books so I could find the one Hermione had given me for my fourteenth birthday, which contained the Photograph Developing Fluid recipe, and finally all the ingredients.

"How in the world does everything fit in there?" I heard Emmett ask.

I chuckled. "Mum cast an Undetectable Extension Spell. It's like space within space, it makes things bigger on the inside, but they look normal on the outside. It's great, cause I only have to carry this one trunk with all my stuff to school."

I opened the book to the right page and read over the ingredients, setting them all aside from my small stock, putting everything else back into the trunk.

The caldron was set up and the fire was on soon after, as I read over the potion recipe figuring out if Edward could help me out somehow.

"Okay, I'm going to need this herbs," I said pointing to the ones in question, "to be cut like this." I cut up one to show him, and he eagerly started slicing them.

I added the essence of wormwood and the roots of dandelion, stirring them counter-clockwise for two minutes before adding the herbs Edward had sliced up. He kept paying attention to what I was doing; the rest of the family did so, too.

I added a few more ingredients in and let it sit for half an hour, as the recipe said. The potion was supposed to turn light purple if done right; I knew I had it right, though, for I had done it a few times before.

I used it just like I would with a normal developing fluid, and a couple of hours later, we had many pictures of my nephew going around the sitting room.

"His hair is green!" Esme exclaimed.

"No, it's not. He's blonde, look." Rosalie said, handing over the picture she had in hand to Esme.

"He's got brown hair here." said Emmett, looking confused.

Edward, Alice and I chuckled. I had forgotten to say that my ability to change my appearance was genetic, and not something everyone could do.

We let them all get more confused before explaining it all. They took it all in, even Rosalie, without saying a word. We all cooed over my godson for most of the day, but I wanted some quiet time.

Because I had stayed with my sister, I did not have the time to sit down and read Harry's and Hermione's letters. So I got ready for bed, and lay down to read them.

Before I could open them, though, I heard a knock on the door before it opened. Edward stepped in, walking towards me.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Oh, Remus gave it to me a few days ago. He was able to see Harry and Hermione, and they sent me letters. I was just about to read them." I informed him.

"Oh, do you want me to leave?" Asked he, pointing to the door.

I shook my head and patted the mattress, showing him he could stay and lay down with me.

He did so, staying over the covers. I mentally slapped myself. All this time, we could have been snuggled in bed with no blanket restricting us from being together; I just had to cast a warming spell on myself, so I wouldn't feel cold.

"Hold on." I told him while grabbing my wand. "I'm so stupid, I should have done this ages ago." I mumbled, trying to cast the spell non-verbally. It took me three tries, but I finally did it. "You can lay under the blankets with me now. I cast a warming spell, which prevents me from getting cold." I smiled at him. I would finally be able to feel his arms fully around me as I slept.

"Are you sure? I didn't hear you say anything." He said.

"I cast it non-verbally." I explained. He knew what it meant, so I didn't have to go any further than that.

He pushed the covers aside and lay down, pulling them back up over ourselves. I situated myself on his chest, as he wrapped both arms around my torso, bringing me closer.

"This is nice." He sighed.

"It is." I replied, getting my parchment pieces from where I had left them and opening them up. It was Harry's letter.

_Dear Bella,_

_I know this will get to your hands safely, for I am handing it to Lupin. _

_I hope you are doing okay; I have heard about your father, and I'm really sorry. I know how you're feeling, and I'll help you through it all once we're reunited._

_I want you to do something for me. Stop worrying. I know you, and I know you are worried about us, but please don't add to your suffering. We will be hurt, and we may get caught again, but we will not give up until it's over. _

_Please, listen to your brother just this once. Take care of yourself, and be ready. Hermione will tell you when the time is right, and we'll see each other again. I know you wish you were here with us, but for now just worry about our godson, Teddy. He must be really something._

_I'll see you soon, Bells. I love you. _

_Yours, _

_Harry._

_P.s. What is it I hear about a boyfriend? Is he treating you well?_

I chuckled at the last line. Harry can act like a big brother sometimes, even though he is younger than me.

"He worries about you." Edward stated. "I like him already."

"Of course you do." I chuckled, folding Harry's letter and unfolding Hermione's.

_Dear Bella,_

_Finally I can write more than a few cropped sentences to you. I am taking the opportunity of Lupin visiting us to send you this, so I hope it arrives there safely (Bill's been refilling Lupin's glass all the time). _

_I'm really sorry about your father. How are you coping? I hope you're not back to not eating or sleeping. Please, take care of yourself._

_On another (better) note, give your sister my congratulations. Teddy must be so adorable; Lupin says he's a metamorphmagus as well. Guess it does run in the family after all. _

_Speaking of family, B, I found something regarding Vivi. But I cannot say anything through a letter. I'm afraid I will only be able to tell you in person, which may or may not take a while. I will let you know as soon as we go back to HSWW – for we will have to go back. We figured out his mind somewhat, and know where another one is. One of them will be in HSWW, and you'll know as soon as we get there. _

_Keep yourself alert at all times, and be ready to apparate or portkey at short notice._

_Keep your ears out for Gringotts. _

_And I want to meet this boyfriend of yours... Ron's been talking about him and the family non-stop._

_Please, take care of yourself and don't worry about us. We're fine and we'll see you soon._

_I love you,_

_Love,_

_Hermione._

She had information on my sister? What was it?

"She knows something about Vivi, baby." Edward whispered, also stunned.

"Yeah." I replied absentminded. "It must be something big for her not to mention it in her letter. I can't believe it. One year, and finally I have something to hold on to. Finally." I whispered.

Edward hugged me closer. "One step closer to finding her."

I nodded, closing my eyes and letting the tears fall. My friends were incredible. They cared for me so much, and despite everything, they were able to find information on my missing sister. I wish I were with them; I wanted to hug them all so badly right now.

I decided on not telling anyone about Hermione's letter. The Cullens must have heard Edward and I talking, but they still didn't know about Vivi so they probably didn't understand a thing. And I did not want to get my sister's hopes up before knowing what Hermione found out.

I did keep my ears out for anything regarding Gringotts. I didn't know what Hermione meant exactly, but it had to be something big.

And it was.

They actually broke into the bloody bank. And got out! I heard in _Potterwatch – _they had a special broadcast set up just for this story - that a dragon was involved in their escape. I still could not believe they had broken into Gringotts.

Were they hurt? They must have been; Gringotts has very powerful and unknown protection. Why did they do it? Did they find out something while they were held captive?

I sighed and closed my eyes. All this thinking was giving me a headache.

I was just starting to relax, when I felt my bracelet buzz.

Only three words were written on it.

_It is time._

_

* * *

_

_I think you know what's coming next, right? Well, if you have read Deathly Hallows, you do LOL_

_I'm following the book very closely, so my timeline is the same as the book's. _

_Please, review?  
_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys! _

_Here's another chapter. Hope you don't kill me! LOL_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivianna =)  
_

_Voldemort's full speech was transcribed from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury, page 490, and I took some dialogue and inspiration from the book.  
_

* * *

Chapter 8

_Wait for my instructions._

The next message came through just seconds after the first one. I was already up and going around the room, grabbing anything that would be helpful in a battle.

Did they know something about a battle? Did Harry know something, and why were they going to Hogwarts now? They had only just escaped from Gringotts.

All those questions ran through my head as I grabbed my small bag and tucked it into my pocket. I pulled out my Gryffindor robes and threw them on, smiling slightly when I felt the fabric flair over my body.

"Guys." I called out; it was not necessary to yell, but I was too hyped up and could not be held responsible for my actions.

I ran down the stairs, waiting for my bracelet to buzz my next move and gathering up everyone while doing so.

"It's time." I said once I reached the living room. "They're going to Hogwarts." I informed them.

They all looked at each other, worry plastered on their faces.

"I cannot say it'll be okay, because it won't. But I have to say I am so, so grateful for all you are doing for us. It will not be forgotten, I can assure you that." I said.

All of them looked at me with small smiles gracing their lips. Edward stepped forward and pulled me in a hug.

"We could not live with ourselves knowing we could have done something, anything to help," said he. "We all want to be there and protect as many people as we can."

I squeezed him once before letting go, leaning on my toes and pecking his lips. "And I'm very grateful for that."

My bracelet buzzed once more, and my instructions started to arrive.

_Apparate into the Hog's Head Pub. _

_Do NOT step foot outside the pub, there's a Curfew charm._

Hog's Head. I knew where it was, we had gone there to set up our D. A. meetings.

_Mr. Dumbledore will show you the way in._

Mr. Dumbledore? As in Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother? I thought it was just a rumor that he owned the pub.

I shrugged it off, I had more important things to do.

_See you soon, B._

"What are you wearing?" I heard Alice shriek as I read the last message and looked around the room for a big enough object to turn into a portkey. I grabbed a cushion from the couch; hopefully Esme won't mind.

"My school robes, Alice. I dunno, just felt appropriate. Are you guys all ready? Hermione gave me the instructions, we're set to go." I informed them.

There was a chorus of agreement words, and many nods.

"There is no turning back now." I told them, waiting for at least Rosalie to back down. No one did.

I cast the _Portus_ spell and told them all to hold on to the cushion.

Soon, the feeling of being grabbed by a hook took over me and I was spinning. No more than a few seconds later, we were all standing inside the Hog's Head.

"Guess that's the start of it." I heard someone mumble.

"Mr. Dumbledore?" I asked. He looked up and his eyes got wide. "Hermione said you would show us the way into Hogwarts?"

"You're letting vampires into the school? Are you nuts?" He barked.

"Dude!" I heard Emmett exclaim.

I sighed. I would be explaining this a lot. "They've come to help. They're the good guys. Could you please show me the way?" I tried to ask nicely, but I was too anxious and nervous to be polite.

"Through there." He mumbled again, pointing towards a painting.

"Thank you." Carlisle said, smiling slightly at Aberforth; he didn't return it.

Shrugging, I went into it first, followed by the rest of the Cullens. We walked through a long corridor for a few minutes. It felt endless, though.

Finally, I could see some light and soon after I realized where we were. _The Room of Requirement._ It was grander than the last time I had been there; and it held Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's colors. There was no silver or green around the room, so I was sure no Slytherin was around.

I walked through the entrance and looked around in awe.

"Bella!" I heard someone exclaim before a slim body collided with mine.

"I've missed you so much." I heard Hermione mumble, holding on to me.

"I've missed you, too, Mione." I whispered back, squeezing her tight. "It's so good to see you."

She let go of me and looked behind me, towards the Cullens. "So that's the boyfriend?" She asked. "And the family?"

I chuckled and nodded, taking Edward's hand in mine.

"He better be treating you right." I heard another voice say.

"Harry!" I exclaimed before running to him. He caught me in a vice grip as soon as I was near enough. "Are you okay? I missed you, brother." I whispered against his neck.

"I'm fine, Bells. I missed you, too, sis." He whispered back.

We must have stayed like that for minutes, before someone cleared their throat. I reluctantly let him go.

"Oh, right. Harry, this is Edward." I took Edward's hand again. "My boyfriend. Love, this is Harry, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you." Both of them said while shaking hands.

"And these are Alice, Jasper, Esme, Carlisle, Emmett and Rosalie." I said while pointing to each one of them as I said their names. "They're my family, and they've been taking care of me." I said for Harry's sake. He and Hermione nodded towards the Cullens in greeting.

I greeted Ron a little less enthusiastically, but still managed to give him a hug.

I then looked around the room, and gasped. "Neville, what has happened to you?" I asked, walking towards my fellow Gryffindor mate and very gently brushing my fingertips on his cheek.

He shrugged. "The Carrows."

I looked at him in horror. I could not believe Hogwarts had been taken over this badly. I knew Snape was strict, but I never thought he would have allowed that.

"Bella, can I talk to you?" Hermione interrupted my thoughts.

"Yes, I really need to talk to you, too. Guys, can you keep my family entertained? They could do with some pointers." I asked Neville and Harry. They just nodded.

"I'm coming with you." Said Edward before grabbing my hand and walking towards where Hermione had gone.

"What do you know about Vivi?" I asked just as we were out of reach for the humans.

"Bella, calm down. It's good. It's actually great. But I'll have to tell you all that's happened before, okay?" I nodded impatiently.

"We went to Luna's house, and her father told us she had been taken from the Express. Some time later, Harry stupidly said You-Know-Who's name and we got caught by Snatchers."

"Knew it." I whispered to myself.

"We were taken to the Malfoy manor. Lucius was there, along with Narcissa and Draco, and Bellatrix and Wormtail as well.

"We had Gryffindor's sword with us, and Bellatrix started to freak out. She sent Harry and Ron away, and kept me. She wanted to know where I had gotten the sword; she basically gave away that something important was in her vault at Gringotts." She explained.

"That was why you broke into it?" I asked. She nodded. "Did you at least get the thing?" She nodded again. "Okay, continue."

"I didn't know Harry was able to call for help, and that Dobby had come to the rescue. Because of their own magic, Dobby could apparate in and out of the cellar Harry and Ron were locked in; he took some people back to Bill's place while we fought against the Death Eaters in the house.

"We were able to escape, but Dobby didn't make it; Bellatrix killed him." Hermione lowered her voice. She loved Dobby, and any other elf for that matter.

"I didn't know until we had gotten to Bill's that some people were in the cellar as well." She said. "Dean was with us because he had been captured right before us, along with a goblin, Griphook – he was the one that helped us break into Gringotts."

She took a deep breath. "Luna was there. Along with Mr. Ollivander... and Vivi."

I looked at her with wide eyes. She had found my sister?

"Luna told me that she was kept prisoner at that place from the moment she was taken. Mr. Ollivander had been there longer than she, and Vivi... well, since she had vanished. Luna was in better shape, so she told us that Vivi had been fed every day until Mr. Ollivander arrived, then she started being treated badly."

I had tears in my eyes. My baby sister was alive. I was right.

"We took care of them all; Mr. Ollivander and Vivi were the ones that were worst, along with the goblin. When he got better, though, Mr. Ollivander went to another, bigger place, and kindly sent two new wands for Luna and Vivi, since theirs were taken. Vivi was still there when we left, but she was much better and Luna had made sure to care for her friend.

"Vivi was still in bed rest when Lupin went to visit. And I couldn't tell him even if I wanted to. I wanted to give you some hope, but not through drunk Lupin, and not through a letter. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before, Bella." Hermione finished.

I threw my arms around her, sobbing on her shoulder. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this all means to me. Thank you for finding my sister and keeping her safe."

Hermione patted my back gently. "You would have done the same for me, B. Besides, she's like my little sister, you know that. I'd do anything for that girl."

"I know." I whispered, releasing her from my grip before turning to Edward.

"She's alive, baby. I told you." I cried, throwing myself at him. He held on to me, rocking me and kissing every inch of my face.

"Yes, you did. I can't wait to meet her." He said.

"Where is she, by the way?" I directed my question to Hermione.

"Well, she was with Luna a lot, so she'll probably be here soon. Neville said he warned the D. A. through our coins, and I know Luna kept hers."

I nodded, looking around the room anxiously.

Harry seemed nervous, so I dragged Hermione and Edward back to our group.

"We have something to do here, but we won't be staying." Harry stuttered out. He was having trouble trying to explain his sudden appearance without telling about the mission. "Look," he started to say, but was interrupted.

"We got your message, Neville." I heard Luna's voice.

My heart started to beat faster, and my hands got sweaty. All the vampires looked at me, worried about my heartbeat. I had no time to explain it, because right behind Luna and Dean, I saw her.

Vivianna.

She was looking just like I usually do. Brown hair and alert eyes, looking around the room in awe. I was half hidden behind Edward, so she didn't notice me.

She didn't look sick, but I could tell she was far from healed. Her eyes showed me everything I needed to know.

I noticed her disappointment, and decided to show myself. I ignored Harry's attempt at explaining what was going on, and my family's weird looks, and just focused on my sister.

"Annie?" I whispered, the tears already flowing freely.

She looked up when she heard the name. Having long names meant loads of nicknames, and Annie was my favorite.

Her eyes went wide before a sob escaped her lips and she ran towards me.

"Belly." She cried out as she reached me. She threw herself at me with such force we both ended up on the floor. She was hugging me so tight it was hard to breathe, but I didn't care. I had my sister back.

I sat up on the floor, Vivi positioned on my lap, as she cried against my neck. "Oh, Belly. I thought I'd never see you again."

I buried my face on her hair and rocked us. "I knew you weren't dead. I just knew it. I looked all over for you. I'm so sorry I didn't find you, sis. I looked, I promised. I never gave up on you." I whispered to her.

"I know, sissy." She whispered back. "I know. Sometimes, I could feel you."

I ran one of my hands through her hair, letting her cry. Once her sobs ceased, I guided her face up with my free hand and looked her over. "Are you okay?" I asked, brushing some hair from her face. She nodded.

"I am now." She replied as she squeezed me tighter. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." I whispered, giving her forehead a kiss. "So much. There was not a day that I didn't think about you." I leaned my forehead against hers.

"I know, Belly. I know because I did the same. You and Dora and Mum and Dad were what kept me going. Now Daddy's dead, and he won't know I'm alive." She cried out. Out of the three of us, she had the best relationship with our father.

"He knew, baby. He knew you were alive. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he and Mum never gave up hope. They were just so scared to have their hopes crushed, so they thought it would be better to think you were dead; it didn't hurt as much." I told her.

She nodded, making my head go up and down as well. "You're an auntie, too." I smiled at her. She smiled back and I sighed in relief.

"Yes, I know. Teddy, right?" I nodded, taking a picture I had of him from my bag. "He looks like Dee. He's like us, isn't he?" She asked.

"Yes. He's the cutest little thing, too. You'll love him." I said.

"I already do." She whispered back, leaning her head on my shoulder. I gave her head a kiss and squeezed her tight. I still could not believe I was actually holding my sister.

"Belly?" Vivi asked after some time. I looked down, waiting for her to continue. "I love you, sissy." She simply said.

A few tears managed to escape my eyes. I closed them to prevent more to come, and gave her forehead a lingering kiss before running my hands through her hair again. "I love you, too, baby. So much." My voice cracked at the end.

I was oblivious to all that was happening around us, so I was surprised to see that Harry and Luna were no longer in the room with us. The Cullens and Hermione were staring at the two of us, and I suddenly felt a bit embarrassed from our outburst.

"Annie?" I whispered, knowing full well that the vampires had heard everything already. "There are some people I would like you to meet. I... I haven't told them all about you, and I'm sorry for that. I just couldn't. It... I cried all the time." I confessed to her. "But I want them all to know my baby sister. Is that okay with you?" My hands were still on her hair, brushing it gently.

"Okay, sissy." She whispered back.

"I'm going to need some help getting up, Vivi." I chuckled.

She chuckled as well before getting up from my lap and offering her hand to me. We walked hand-in-hand towards my family.

"Hey, Mione." Vivi greeted. "Glad to see you in one piece." She smiled. Hermione laughed.

"Yeah."

Vivi then looked at my family, and her mouth dropped open.

"Belly... they're... for real?" I chuckled and nodded.

Edward approached us cautiously, but surely.

"This is my boyfriend, Edward." I introduced him. "He's the only one that knows the whole story." I told her.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Vivianna. Bella talked about you a lot." Edward said before giving my sister a gentle hug. "And she was right, you are very beautiful and bright."

As if on cue, both of us started to blush.

"Bella, what... what in the world is going on?" Alice shrieked, seeming ready to burst.

"Alice, please." I sighed. I did not need another outburst from her. "Calm down." I looked at Jasper pleadingly.

"Is she your twin? Dude, she looks just like you." Emmett asked, looking confused.

Vivi and I both shrugged, and she changed her hair to her usual purple one.

"I missed it, too." I sighed, playing with the ends of her hair. She smiled back at me.

"She's not my twin, Em, she's my little sister."

"But... but she looks like you." He stuttered. "Oh, she's like you, right? Changing her looks?" He finally understood.

"Yup. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before, I'm just... it just hurt too much." I said frankly.

"I'm here now, sissy." Vivi whispered, letting go of my hand and wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Yeah, I know." I replied, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "So, this goofy giant is Emmett. He just looks menacing, but he's a teddy bear at heart." I introduced him.

"It's nice to meet you, littlest sis." He boomed, putting both of us in a hug.

"Right, the small pixie that's freaking out is Alice, one of my best friends."

Alice, too, pulled her in a hug. "Hi, Vivianna. It's nice to meet you, we're going to be the best of friends."

I laughed. "Be careful, sis. That was what she told me when I first met her."

Alice was mature enough to poke out her tongue at me.

"Rosalie and Jasper." I pointed towards them. "Rosalie's married to Emmett, and Jasper is Alice's mate." I explained. I did not want to go into deep details of my relationship with them; Jasper was fine, but Rosalie still scared me.

"And these are Carlisle and Esme; they're like parents to me, and I hope you'll learn to love them like I do." I introduced them. Carlisle shook her hand, but Esme pulled her into a gentle embrace.

"I already do. Thank you all for taking care of my big sister. She's a danger magnet." Vivi said, which brought everyone near us to laughter.

"Belly-bear!" We heard two voices shout at the same time and interrupt our laughter. Two sets of arms wrapped around me, and I laughed out loud.

"Fred, George, I need to breathe." I reminded them through my laughter.

"We missed you." They said in unison once more. I chuckled as they released me. "So, this is the bloke that captured our little Bella's heart?" Fred said, nodding his head at Edward.

"Yes!" Vivi exclaimed. "He's cool, guys. Don't mess with him." She said, standing next to Edward.

"Hi, Bella." Ginny made herself known, "I've missed you." She said before giving me a hug. My arms would fall off by the end of the night from so many hugs.

"Missed you, too, Ginny. Thanks for taking care of Vivi." I said.

She released me. "We wanted to tell you, but it didn't feel right. She is only here right now because she insisted. We had just moved her to Aunt Muriel's last night." She told me.

I should be mad that Vivi was here when she wasn't fully recovered, but I was too happy to care at the moment.

I greeted Lee Jordan and Cho Chang with a nod, and took the few steps separating me from Edward and Vivi – who had her arm around my boyfriend's torso. I wrapped an arm around him as well, resting my head on his shoulder.

People kept coming in; Kingsley walked in followed by Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet – my former Quidditch teammates. They had all greeted us enthusiastically.

Bill and Fleur showed up next, and I gave Bill a tight hug for taking care of my sister. I didn't know Fleur that well, but I thanked her, too, with a gentler hug.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed their son, and soon crowded Ginny, most likely insisting she go home.

Lupin arrived short minutes later, but he was alone.

"Remus." I called out, "Where's Dora?" I asked.

He walked towards our little group. "She's at your mother's with Teddy." He explained, then gasped. "Vivianna?" He had been her professor as well.

"Hi, Professor Lupin." She greeted. She knew he was Dora's husband, but she hadn't really lived around him as a family member.

"I'm no longer your teacher, Vivi. Actually, I'm family, so Remus or Lupin is fine." He said a bit embarrassed.

"Okay, Remus. Why isn't my sister here? I'm sure she didn't want to stay home." Vivi said.

Remus chuckled, "No she didn't. But I insisted. If anything happens, at least Teddy will have one parent around."

Ron and Hermione had vanished from our sights, but I knew they had something important to do, so I didn't worry as much.

Remus was talking to Carlisle and Esme; he had taken quite well to my second set of parents. Everyone was talking loudly, excited about what was to happen.

It all went quiet when Harry and Luna entered the room.

"What's going on?" I heard Remus ask Harry.

"McGonagall's barricading the school, and Snape has gone away. They're going to evacuate the younger kids and we're supposed to go down to the Great Hall. We're fighting."

Everyone, myself included, cheered loudly. I could see them all get their wands ready. I looked at my sister and sighed. There was no way I could forbid her from fighting. She was underage, but she wanted this as much as me.

So I just grabbed her hand in mine and squeezed it, showing my support.

Neville had explained that the Room, to protect everyone that was inside, was opening its door in different places every time. So I wasn't too surprised when I saw the Fat Lady painting when we stepped out of the Room.

"Wow!" I heard Esme exclaim. The rest of the Cullens were in silent awe.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it? I lost count of how many times I have gotten lost in here. This," I whispered, "is Gryffindor's common room entrance." I pointed toward the Fat Lady.

"Neat." Alice said, which made me chuckle.

We went down, following Harry and Remus, until we arrived at the Great Hall. I think I had forgotten to mention about the enchanted ceiling, for it was easy to see the surprise in each of my family's face.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I asked, looking up. The sky was dark, scattered with stars.

"It's not open, is it?" asked Carlisle.

"No, it's just enchanted to look like the sky outside." I explained.

They nodded, and followed me as I guided them all towards the Gryffindor table. For tonight, Vivi would be a Gryffindor, for I would not let her out of my sight if I could help it.

Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett sat on one side of the table, while the rest of us sat on the other, facing them. Vivi sat on the table, her back to Rosalie, facing me. While I waited for the Great Hall to get full and McGonagall to get everyone out safely, I turned to my sister.

Her legs were resting on my side, so I lay my head on her knees and looked up.

"Annie, you have to promise me you will be careful. I know you're underage, but I won't force you to stay away. I know you want this as much as I do, but please, I can't lose you again. Promise me you'll hide if things get difficult." I begged.

"Bizzy Bee..." She sighed, running her fingers through my hair. "I'll do my best, okay? But I promise I will hide if things get ugly. I promise, okay?" She reassured me.

I nodded against get legs, relieved.

She was about to say something else, when we heard a loud voice invade the Great Hall.

"I know you are preparing to fight." I screamed and hugged Vivi's legs tighter. I recognized the voice immediately; I thought we would have more time. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have a great deal of respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

The room was completely silent.

"Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

Pansy Parkinson then yelled, "But he's there, Potter's there," while pointing at Harry. Immediately, all our table rose, facing Parkinson, wands drawn. I could see from the corner of my eyes that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws did the same; we were all ready to protect Harry at all costs.

Professor McGonagall dismissed Parkinson first, along with every Slytherin present. The underage Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors followed, but many stayed. The Great Hall was still half-full. McGonagall had to take charge and order many underage students on their way, for they all wanted to stay and fight, especially the Gryffindors.

Kingsley then took over, separating us in groups. I volunteered to take over one of the towers with Vivi and Edward; Kingsley then took opportunity of all the vampires to scatter them around the castle, keeping them hidden from the Death Eaters and acting like shields to wizards and witches. When the initial attack ended, they would be able to fight. Jasper joined Kingsley and Remus, helping them out with their strategy.

"Harry." I called for him, seeing as he was still looking around the room. "Ron and Hermione went to Murtle's bathroom." I told him. "Edward can read Ron's mind. So just go look for the diadem, and we'll hold everyone off."

He nodded and pulled me in a brief hug. "Be careful out there, please?"

I just nodded and he ran out of the room.

Remus came over to us then, and told us to get up to Gryffindor's tower. I nodded, grabbing Edward's and Vivi's hands in mine, and saying Good Luck to all my friends and family present. We would need it.

As we went up, I saw Ginny, Dora and an old Lady standing outside the Room of Requirement.

"Dora? You were supposed to be home." I greeted.

"You know I couldn't just leave Remus and you here fighting and... Blimey, why are there two of you?" She asked. "No... no, it can't be."

"Hi, Dee." Vivi whispered.

"Vivianna." Dora whispered back, putting our sister in a tight hug. "I thought... I looked, but I didn't... I couldn't." She sighed. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, big sis. Now, please be careful. I've just got you both back." She said. "We have to go, it's starting. Remus was at the Entrance Hall when we left."

"Okay. Please take care of yourselves." Dora waved a goodbye before running down the stairs to meet her husband.

We were positioned a few minutes later, Edward in front of us, but not blocking our view. He could see the spells cast a lot faster than us, and move in front of us in the blink of an eye. Plus, he had the mind-reading to help him; not many wizards bother to learn Occlumency.

"It's starting, girls. Wands at ready." Edward warned us before a green spark shot through the sky.

* * *

_Good reunion? _

_Vivx-chan guessed right what had happened to Vivi, so she gets a shout out =)_

_lunarwing was the only one to find the meaning of the name Vivianna: it means lively, or alive. ;) Another shout out! =D  
_

_Next chapter should be up soon!_

_Review, please?  
_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey guys! Sorry it took a while, been helping my mom out =/_

_I absolutely suck at writing battles, so I just went with what Rowling gave us =) Hope you like it anyways._

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi.  
_

_Voldemort's speeches were fully transcribed from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury, pages 529; 583 and 584; 586. Harry's and Voldemort's fight was partially transcribed from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury, pages 590 and 591. Some dialogue and inspiration were also taken from the book._

* * *

Chapter 9

It all started so fast.

Tons of red and green shots were thrown our way, and Edward deflected them all. Nothing got even remotely close to hitting us and since we were so high up, no one could see what was blocking them.

Edward was also giving us directions, since his eyesight was better than ours and he could see the Death Eaters clearly in the dark.

"To your right, Bella, by the entrance of the forest." I shot a stunning spell blindingly. "Got him." Edward informed me.

"Vivi, look out." Edward exclaimed before pushing her out of the way. A spell bounced off on the wall just where my sister had been standing. She shot back a spell, but missed.

Our tower started to crumble because of the many spells that hit it, so we had to go back inside. Edward, in one swift move, had both me and my sister in his arms, running as fast as he could towards the grounds.

We ran past Jasper and Esme, who were both fighting off spiders. Jasper was crushing them with his bare hands, in such a speed I almost didn't see it, while Esme was quickly breaking them in half. It was disgusting, but it got the work done.

I had to tear my eyes away when Esme bit one of those hairy things. Esme, sweet, caring Esme, looked so much like a vampire, it truly scared me.

Edward dropped us down when we reached the entrance hall. It was a huge mess, jolts of lights running wild all over. Edward stood in front of us as we shot spell after spell, some hitting but most missing their targets. I saw a flash of blonde hair pass by, which I recognized as Rosalie; she jumped in front of a spell as it was about to hit someone.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione just passed by, they're going to a shrieking shack?" Edward said in a low voice.

"Why?" I asked, throwing another spell that hit its target right on his chest.

"Voldemort's there." Edward panted. Must be the adrenaline.

I didn't want to even think about what they would be doing out there. "Something about a snake... being a Horcrux." Edward said, throwing heavy debris from the destroyed walls with such force I could hear the crack of the Death Eaters skull. I saw Rosalie do the same to another Death Eater.

"They'll get killed." I shrieked while throwing a stunning spell to another Death Eater, Yaxley.

"They're safe. Snape, on the other hand, isn't."

"Why?" Green shots hit the wall next to me.

"Voldemort killed him. I can read his mind."

"Why would he kill Snape?" I asked, taking a deep breath and deviating from another spell.

"Something about an Elder wand? It doesn't make any sense to me." He said.

I was about to ask something else when Voldemort's voice resounded once more.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste.

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

I could hear people talking and moving around me, but all I could think was what Voldemort had said.

He knew what would tick Harry off; accusing him of letting people die for him would get Harry to show up in no time. I knew it was futile to coax him out of it, so I just hoped my friend would be okay.

"Bella... Bee, hurry, it's Dora." Vivi's voice brought me out of my thoughts. I had noticed that the entrance hall was almost empty, just a few people helping out the ones that were injured.

"What? What happened? Where is she?" I asked, running towards the Great Hall. It was full; the house tables were gone, and people were going around, looking for loved ones.

I could see Carlisle helping Madam Pomfrey whenever he could.

The dead were lined up in the middle of the room. I gasped loudly when I saw the familiar red-headed family standing around a corpse.

Tears were already falling, for I knew someone important to me was dead. Once I got nearer, I couldn't hold my sobs. It was Fred. My jokester friend, who had so much life to live. George was kneeling next to Fred's head, and Mrs. Weasley was weeping next to him.

I started looking around, trying to see through my tears, desperate to reach my sister.

"Isabella." Someone called. I turned around, and became face-to-face with Vivi. "She's over there." She pointed towards the injured row, where my sister was sitting, her knees bent towards her chest as she hugged her legs.

"Dora!" I exclaimed, running to her. When I reached her I knelt down harshly, "What happened? Where are you hurt? Where's Remus?" I shot question after question, ignoring the pain on my knees.

"He... he..." She tried to say, but couldn't. I got the meaning though. My brother-in-law hadn't made it.

Dora was catatonic. "Where are you hurt, Dee?" I had to ask, afraid to hurt her even more. She lifted one of her arms, where a long, sickly green gash ran from her palm all the way to her elbow.

"I'll get Carlisle. Vivi, stay with her." I ordered, getting up and running towards Carlisle.

"Bella, what's wrong?" He asked, seeing my expression.

"My sister, can you check on her? Please?" I pleaded, practically dragging him to where my family waited.

He was beside her in a second, gently lifting her arm and inspecting it.

"I'll put some essence of Dittany on it since I can't perform magic, and wrap it up until it's healed. It may take an hour or two, but it should be as good as new." He said while working on her arm.

Five minutes later, he got up, "Edward's looking for you, Bella." He informed me. I just nodded; I couldn't leave my sister right now.

"He's gone." I heard Dora sob. This time, I brought her to me, wrapping my arms around her as well as I could, letting her cry on my shoulder. "He's gone." She cried again.

"I'm so sorry, sis." I whispered. Vivi sat down on her other side, rubbing her back soothingly. "What happened?"

"We were fighting," she said through her tears. "Remus was next to me, and Emmett was nearby. Two Death Eaters came up to us; Dolohov and Bellatrix. She started taunting me, and I got so angry, I didn't see the spell she had sent my way. Emmett pulled me out of the way, but the spell hit my arm.

"Dolohov saw that Remus was distracted checking on me, and he... he shot a spell at Remus, and he... he wasn't fast enough; it hit him right in the chest." She closed her eyes, trying to fight her tears. "Emmett put me on his back, he saw that I was going to murder someone, and then grabbed Remus and brought him here, but it was already too late.

"I want to kill him." She sobbed, burying her head on my chest, which was soaked with her tear.

"Dora... Dee, look at me." I said, coaxing her gently. When her gray eyes met mine, I spoke, "I know you want revenge; believe me, I know how you're feeling, sis. But you need to let it go for now. Remember what you told me that time you went to visit me? You said I shouldn't focus on getting revenge, or else I'd get killed. You have to be on your right mind to fight, or something will happen to you, too, and Teddy will be alone. Is that what you want? For your son to grow up without both parents?"

She shook her head. "No." She whispered.

"Good. Take a deep breath for me, now." She did so, trying to calm herself down. "Remus wouldn't want you to be like this. He's with his friends now; he's with James and Sirius. I bet they're already wracking havoc, wherever it is they are."

She chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I bet they are."

"So, are you going to stand by our side and fight? We Tonks are not known to be quitters." Vivi said.

"Yes, I'm fighting. I promise I'll keep focus, but if any of you see Dolohov... he's mine."

We both nodded, helping her get up. She pulled Vivi and I into a hug.

"Thanks, guys. I love you." We replied to it, and started walking to where I had seen Esme and Rosalie.

"Bella." Esme sighed, putting me into a tight hug.

"I'm okay, Esme. Dora got hurt, but she'll be fine." I whispered to her. "Remus didn't make it."

"Yes, I know. I'm so sorry." She whispered back. She then went on to hug both my sisters.

We stayed put for some time, resting for what was to come. I looked around the room for Edward, but could not see him anywhere.

"Esme, where's Edward?" I asked her. "And Alice?" She looked around, and said something, but it was too low for me to hear. Seconds later, I felt familiar arms engulfing me.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I heard Carlisle talking to you, I didn't want to disturb. Alice is with Jasper. He was having a hard time controlling his emotions."

I nodded in appreciation and understanding, nuzzling my nose on his neck. Edward was my safety harbor, just being next to him made me feel better.

"Where's Harry?" I asked him. He seemed to concentrate for a while, searching for my friend's voice. He was about to say something when another voice resounded in the room.

"Harry Potter is dead." Voldemort said. Immediately, I let go of Edward and started to run outside. "He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

I had reached the entrance hall when he continued.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

I reached the outside grounds along with most people. Voldemort walked forward, and I could see his and Hagrid's shadows coming out of the Forest.

"NO!" McGonagall cried. I couldn't remember if I had ever heard her sound so desperate and desolate before.

I gasped loudly when I saw what she had seen; Harry's limp body laying on Hagrid's arms. Tears were starting to form already; I could not believe I had lost my best friend.

"Bella." Someone called me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Bella, he isn't dead." Edward whispered. "I can hear his thoughts and his heartbeat."

I sighed in relief. "Are you sure?" He nodded, wiping my tears away. "Thank you for letting me know. What is he planning, though?" I asked, turning my head fully to see him.

"I don't know." He replied. "His thoughts are not making much sense. He's thinking about a snake?"

I shrugged; I had no idea what it meant either.

"Harry!"

"NO!"

I could hear people calling out for him, screaming and crying. Hermione's and Ginny's voices were the loudest, as was Ron's. I wish I could run to them and tell them he was fine, but I was scared someone would overhear and truly get Harry killed. Also, I was frozen in place, for I had just seen Voldemort.

I had never faced him. Harry was present when he returned to life, and when he showed up at the Ministry, but I hadn't seen him before now. His face was terrifying, for it resembled a snake. Did he do it to himself?

I then saw Neville run forward, only to be thrown back by a spell, groaning in pain. Voldemort threw Neville's wand aside and laughed. My aunt Bellatrix let out a shrilling laugh as she saw who it was.

"It's Longbottom." She informed him. She was the one who tortured Neville's parents into madness.

Voldemort tried to recruit Neville as a Death Eater, but my mate bravely stood up for himself and us. "Dumbledore's Army." He yelled, making our group of people yell out with him, breaking the silence spell Voldemort had cast on us.

Voldemort did something unusual, instead of retaliating, he summoned a strange bird, which was carrying the Sorting Hat with it.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," he said. "There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He put the Hat on Neville's head, and with a flick of his wand, caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames.

And then all hell broke loose.

Grawp, Hagrid's giant half-brother, came from around the side of the Castle, shouting for Hagrid; then I could make out arrow shapes hitting the Death Eaters, coming from the Forest – centaurs. And suddenly Neville got up; roaring in anger, he sliced Voldemort's snake's head off with a sword that resembled Gryffindor's one. Was it? It had come from out of the Hat, just like with Harry, so it must be.

"I guess now I know what he meant about the snake." I said to myself.

Edward grabbed my wrist and started to drag me into the castle again, where Dora and Vivi were already waiting.

"Harry's under a cloak." Edward informed me as we ran. I nodded, telling without words that I understood.

It was chaos. Centaurs were scattering the Death Eaters, and everyone was very aware of the giant near them. Reinforcement started to arrive from who-knows-where, and Thestrals and Buckbeak the hippogriff were fighting off Voldemort's giants along with Grawp.

With the giants fighting, everyone was forced to go back inside the castle. We got into the Great Hall just as the house-elves had ran out, led by Kreacher, the Black's house-elf. They had knives and cleavers, and were attacking Death Eaters with all their might.

I could see many people walk in, shopkeepers from Hogsmeade, family members, everyone. It was easy to see that we outnumbered the Death Eaters, but they still fought.

I threw a spell towards Yaxley, hitting him on his shoulder; he lost his balance, and George and Lee took over, slamming him on the floor. Dora, who was next to me, sent a body-binding spell that hit Dolohov in his chest, rendering him immobile; Professor Flitwick finished him off.

Voldemort was dueling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once, getting angrier and angrier as each of his spells missed.

"Harry's going towards Voldemort." Edward informed me as I shot another spell towards a Death Eater.

I heard a familiar laugh near us, and turned around to see Luna, Hermione and Ginny fighting my aunt Bellatrix. I was about to join them, wanting more than anything to finish that woman off, when I saw a spell miss Ginny by an inch.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH." I heard Mrs. Weasley shrieked, "OUT OF MY WAY." She shouted to the girls, taking over their duel.

Mrs. Weasley's shot spell after spell, making Bellatrix's smile turn into a snarl. She retaliated, and I could see both of them were fighting to kill.

Many students, myself included, approached the duel, trying to aid Mrs. Weasley, but she ordered us to back down. She wanted to fight Bellatrix alone.

We all lined up on the wall, watching the remaining two fights; Voldemort and Bellatrix were the only ones left standing.

Bellatrix started to taunt Mrs. Weasley, which drove Molly mad. Bellatrix started laughing, the same laugh Sirius had given just before he was killed by her. Mrs. Weasley took the opportunity to finish Bellatrix off; Molly's spell hit her opponent right above her heart, killing her almost instantly.

We all roared; my family more than the others. Finally, finally this deranged woman would leave us alone. No longer would we have to be associated with her.

Voldemort let out a roar of anger, and pointed his wand to Molly.

"PROTEGO!" I heard Harry's voice shout, before he got out from under the Invisibility Cloak.

Many shouts of 'Harry!' and 'He's alive!' could be heard, but as soon as they began, they faded. Everyone was silent in that room as Harry and Voldemort faced each other.

Harry told us he didn't want anyone helping him, for it had to be him. He was the one that had to finish Voldemort off.

"Potter doesn't mean that." Voldemort said. "That isn't how it works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," Harry replied. My eyes were trained on him, trying to figure out what he would do. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good..."

They were both moving, walking around in a perfect circle, maintaining the same distance.

"One of us?" snarled Voldemort. "You think it will be you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" Harry asked. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to regain control. I was so scared for him. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

I gasped. Had Harry died? Had he come back to life? What had happened while we were fighting?

"Accidents!" Voldemort screamed. They still circled around, no one making the first move. Everyone in the room was frozen, eyes trained on them; it seemed everyone was holding their breath. "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

I shook my head lightly. It was not true, Harry would never have allowed anyone to die for him.

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," Harry said. "You won't be able to kill any of them, ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you hurting these people -"

"But you did not!"

"- I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did." I gasped loudly. Finally, I understood how every spell cast by Death Eaters had seemed to miss us. "They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes Riddle, do you?"

Harry was ready, I could feel it. My best friend, my brother, was ready to sacrifice his life for ours. He would rather fight Voldemort than let anyone else do so, just so no one else gets hurt.

They kept on talking, Harry pointing out some secrets that he knew. Voldemort froze for a second, but kept on circling.

Harry knew the truth about Dumbledore's death? How did that happen? I hated being out of the loop. He said Dumbledore had chosen his way of dying, and that Snape was truly Dumbledore's man through and through.

Harry explained that Snape had loved his mother for a long time, ever since they were children. He also said Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him.

Voldemort mentioned the Elder Wand, which I still didn't know if it was real, and Harry retorted, saying he was the true master of the Wand, and not Voldemort, because he had conquered Draco's wand when he was caught. Draco was the one to disarm Dumbledore, not Snape, and so had technically conquered Dumbledore's wand.

It didn't make much sense to me; I would have to ask Harry all about it when this was done. I had faith my brother would defeat the Dark Lord.

"_Avada Kedavra_."

"_Expelliarmus_."

Both of them shot their spells at the same time. Green and red collided halfway through, a loud blast could be heard as golden sparks formed where the spells hit one another. Voldemort's wand flew through the room, reaching Harry's hand soon after.

Voldemort fell to the ground, small and weak; dead. He was killed by his own spell, which had rebounded and hit him right on his chest.

Everything was silent for a second, before a huge roar erupted. Finally, finally we were free from this time of fear. Finally we would be able to live our lives peacefully.

I, along with everyone else, ran towards Harry. I reached him just after Hermione, hugging him tight.

"You did it." She whispered.

"It's over." I whispered as well. I felt many arms around me, and looked up to see most of the ones present wrapping their arms around Harry. Ron was next to me, as were Ginny and Luna.

The sun rose steadily, lighting up the Great Hall. I felt free; for the first time in years, I could feel myself at peace.

I let go of Harry with a peck on his cheek, and untangled myself from the sea of arms to look for the ones I needed right now.

My family – the Cullens and my sisters – were standing to the side, celebrating by themselves.

I ran to them, jumping into Edwards arms, laughing with joy, tears falling down my face.

"It's over." I exclaimed, burying my face on his neck as he twirled us around.

"It is." He whispered back, setting me back on the ground.

Two sets of arms attacked me from both sides; Vivi and Dora were also crying, and the three of us just stood there in each others arms for a while.

"Mother will be so shocked." I whispered, tucking some of Vivi's hair behind her ear. "We'll go home soon, angel."

"Home." Dora whispered. "I need... I need to talk to McGonagall. I need to know when we're having the funerals." She stared to tear up, but took a deep breath before untangling herself and walking towards one of the tables.

The Great Hall was back to how it used to be, the four house tables back. No one was sitting according to their houses, though. For today, we were all only Hogwartians.

With an arm still around my sister, I turned to face the rest of my family.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for us. Alice, I didn't even see you around, which must mean you were good at hiding and shielding." She beamed back at me, nodding enthusiastically before putting me into a half-hug.

"I was on the Ravenclaw tower with your friend Luna. She's truly something else." Alice said. I just chuckled, wondering what Luna had said while there; even during war, she could come up with the strangest things.

"Em, thank you... for saving Dora. I... we would have lost her if it weren't for you." I said, tearing up again.

"It was nothing." He replied, looking a bit embarrassed. "She's your sister, she's family. We protect our family."

I smiled in gratitude, thanking everyone else for all they had done.

The adrenaline in my body started to fade, and I sat down in one of the tables, bringing Vivi along with me, setting her on my lap. Now that everything was over, I couldn't tear myself away from her.

Edward followed us, sitting down next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and kissing my head repeatedly.

"You are one incredible witch, Bella. So brave, so smart." He praised. "You, too, Vivi. You're so young, but you seemed wise beyond your years tonight."

We both blushed, earning a heartfelt laugh from all of them.

As it died down, so did my energy. So many things have happened in one single night. So many lives lost; so many families broken.

I took a deep breath, calming myself down. It would do no good to cry right now.

"I have to go do something." I said, pushing Vivi out of my lap and getting up. "I'll be back soon, okay." I said for Edward's and Annie's sake.

Swiftly, I walked around the crowded room, looking for the familiar red hair. He wasn't hard to spot, sitting at Gryffindor's table with Lee Jordan next to him, his eyes unfocused.

"George." I called him softly, my hand landing on his shoulder. "Hey."

My voice broke him off his trance.

"Bells... he's... he's..." He tried to say, but was overcome with tears. I noticed Lee get up and took his place, running my free hand through George's hair.

"I know. I'm so sorry." I could relate to what he was feeling, even though my sister wasn't killed.

He kept crying, so I gently brought him to me, his head resting on my chest as he mourned. His arms wrapped around my waist and for the second time today, I tried to comfort someone close to me.

"What would he say if he saw you like this, uh?" I said gently, still combing my fingers through his hair. "He would be making fun of you, I'm sure of it."

George let out a chuckle that was almost imperceptible because of his sobs. "Yeah, he would be," he hiccuped. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "he would also have said to enjoy having a girl's chest so near my face, because it would be a long time till it happened again."

I was the one to chuckle then. "George!" I exclaimed. He chuckled once more, before sighing.

"I miss him."

"Yeah, I miss him, too. Think he's up there with Remus? I told Dora my brother-in-law would be wrecking havoc with James and Sirius over there... maybe Fred has joined them."

"I hope he did." George whispered. "Does it get any easier?" asked he, lifting his face from my chest and wiping his eyes.

"No." I said truthfully. "You weren't here when Vivi was taken, so you didn't see how I was feeling. It felt like I had no will to live anymore, and that part of me was taken with her. But I had the certainty that she was alive; that I would see her again, someday. That was what motivated me to go on.

"You'll see him again, George. It may not be soon, but you'll be reunited. You guys were like one soul split in two bodies; there is no way you won't be together again when the time comes. Now, you have the rest of your family to lean on, and you know I'm only an owl away. I'll be visiting you soon, too, okay?" I promised him.

"I don't... I don't know if I can keep the shop open."

"What? Of course you can, mate. You fought for it, you deserve it. Harry would be very disappointed if you closed the shop." I said. He looked at me shocked. "Yes, I know he gave you guys the money from the Triwizard Tournament. It was because he believed you could do it, and so do I. You'll have help, you don't have to do this alone.

"Just think, if it were Fred here in your place, would you have liked it if he closed the shop?" George shook his head. "I'm visiting you soon, and I expect you there bright and early to help me out."

"Okay. Thank you, Belly-bear." He said, pulling me into a hug. "I have to go see Mum." I nodded, getting up and looking around once more. I couldn't see Harry anywhere, nor Hermione or Ron so I just assumed they had gone to a quieter place to talk. I would catch up later.

As I walked back to my family, I noticed two familiar faces sitting with them.

"Luna." I greeted, pulling her into a hug. "Thanks for taking care of Vivi. How can I ever repay you?" I asked.

"We could go look for another horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, since Daddy's exploded." She said in her dreamy voice.

"Maybe." I chuckled, releasing her and turning to the other girl next to her.

"Ginny." I opened my arms and she embraced me tightly. "Oh, Ginny. Everything will be fine. I know you're hurting, but it'll get better."

"I miss him." She cried on my still damp clothes.

"I know, I miss him, too. He's in a good place, though." I tried to comfort her.

"Yeah, I know." She replied, letting me go. "Sorry."

I shrugged, wiping her tears away. "It's nothing. You're more important than clothes, you know that." She smiled slightly before taking her seat next to Luna.

Vivi climbed onto my lap as soon as I sat down, putting an arm around my shoulders and resting her head on my shoulder.

"We should go home soon." She whispered. I just nodded, agreeing with her. "Do we go straight to Mum's, or are you staying somewhere else?"

"The Cullens have a house here, I was with them. We can go there to clean ourselves up before going to Mum's. We don't look so good right now; maybe we should catch some sleep and eat before showing up, or else she'll get even more worried. Dora will go straight away, Teddy's there."

She nodded in agreement. "How are we leaving?"

That was a very good question. I turned to Luna and Ginny, "do you guys know how we're leaving?" They shook their heads.

Dora came back a few minutes later, her face red from crying. "We can leave through portkey in Hogsmeade." She said. "McGonagall will arrange the funerals, and will owl us; the service will be in two days." Her voice cracked.

I nodded, lowering my eyes.

We all got up, ready to leave. We said our goodbyes to people near us and walked slowly towards the Entrance Hall; we were all dead tired. The vampires didn't try to force us to walk faster, they all noticed we needed the time.

As we were by the front door, I caught a glimpse of a familiar bushy hair, and turned around.

"Hermione." I called for her.

"Hey, Bells. We were just looking for you." She said, walking towards us. "Harry, Ron!" She called.

My friends showed up soon after, Harry putting me into yet another hug.

"I was so scared." I admitted. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"I thought I was going to die, too." He said truthfully. "But not before taking him with me."

"You should go see Ginny." I whispered, letting him go. "We're going to get some sleep before visiting Mum. We're staying in London, you guys are welcome to stay with us. I'll send Lynx with the address, and you can finally meet our godson, Harry."

He nodded. "Yes, that would be good. I'll see you soon, okay? We'll talk then."

It was my turn to nod. "Soon. I love you guys." I told the three of them.

Vivi grabbed my hand in hers, looking at me. "C'mon, Belly. Let's go home."

* * *

_It's not the end yet! _

_Let me know if you hated it! =P_

_Review, please?  
_


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey people =) Sorry for the delay! I got a new laptop, and it was tiring to transfer all my stuff from my old one into this one. =/_

_It is a bit of a sad chapter, so bear with me =)_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi.  
_

* * *

Chapter 10

We all walked out of the castle's grounds and into Hogsmeade in silence. Vivi and Dora were next to me, walking so close our shoulders bumped. The Cullens were trailing behind us, and Luna had tagged along.

"I'll apparate to Mum's." Dora whispered. "I need to see Teddy. Be with him." She said lowly. I nodded.

"I know. Just, just don't tell mum about Vivi yet. It's going to be shocking enough when you arrive without Remus; I don't want to overwhelm her." I said just as lowly.

"Sure." she replied.

"Luna?" Vivi called. "Do you have a place to stay? Where's your father?"

Luna walked over to us, matching our sullen stride. "Daddy's still in Azkaban, I think. Hermione said our house exploded." She explained.

"Do you think she could come with us, Belly? Until her father's released?" asked Vivi.

"Of course." I looked behind me for confirmation. Edward, Carlisle and Esme nodded their heads. "We have plenty of space. You can stay as long as you need, Luna."

She nodded.

We reached Hogsmeade soon after, and I noticed wizards starting to come out of their houses to celebrate. I didn't feel like celebrating so many lost lives, though.

Dora pulled Annie and I into a quick hug before apparating to Mum's. She left wordlessly.

I walked down the street, nearing the Shrieking Shack, and grabbed a piece of wood that was lying on the floor. I silently cast the _Portus _charm once again, and asked everyone to touch it. Thirty seconds later, we had all landed inside the Cullen's living room.

I got up – I always fall when traveling through portkey – and motioned for Luna and Vivi to follow me.

"I'll lend you some of my clothes, if that's okay?" I directed my question to Luna, since Vivi would have no problem with it.

"Sure." She replied. I grabbed three sets of pajamas, and handed one to each of them, keeping the last one to myself.

"Luna, I'll show you to your room. You can shower and sleep there." I said softly, walking with her down the hall, to the guest room. I showed her where the towels and shampoo were, and went back to my room when I saw she was all set.

"I don't want to be alone, Belly." Vivianna whispered, taking my hand in hers once I was close enough.

"It's okay, sis. Why don't you take a shower in there," I pointed to my bathroom, "while I use Alice's, and then we'll sleep here, okay?"

She nodded, going into the bathroom. I followed her, showing to her where everything was before heading towards Alice's room. It was empty, thankfully.

I took a long shower, letting everything just wash away. I was too exhausted to cry, too tired to mourn.

The water started to turn cold, so I turned it off, quickly drying myself and putting on my pajamas. There was a shy knock on the bathroom door, so I grabbed my dirty clothes and stepped out of the steamy bathroom.

"Bella," said Alice. "You won't be sleeping with your hair wet. C'mon." She grabbed my hand and dragged me to my room, sitting me down at the vanity and looking around.

"Alice." I called out. "I'm going to dry my hair in one second. We don't have electricity, remember? I can do it with one hand." I motioned for my wand, which was sitting on my bed.

"Right, sorry." She said sheepishly. "I'm just... I want to help you. I can't stand seeing you like this, Bells." She frowned.

I sighed and walked to her. "Alice," I said softly, "I really appreciate everything you have done for me, for us. But I've lost friends tonight. I'm still processing it all, but I'm so exhausted, I can't even think." I told her.

She nodded, wrapping her arms around me and pecking my cheek lightly.

"I'll send Edward." She whispered.

Two seconds later, I had a different set of arms around me.

"Bella." My name sounded like a prayer on his lips. "I love you." He simply said, bringing me closer to him.

"I love you, too." I replied, resting my head on his shoulder. "Is it okay that Vivi stays here with me tonight? I... I don't think she's doing very well." I whispered to him, hearing the water shut off on our bathroom.

"She's not." He informed me. "She needs you, and your family right now." He said.

"I know."

"We'll be there for you every step of the way, Bella. I promise you."

I merely nodded, closing my eyes and breathing him in. His scent always managed to calm me down. "I'm going to check on Luna."

He nodded, kissing my head before walking me to her room.

"Luna?" I called, knocking on her door softly.

"Come in." She replied just as softly.

As I walked in, I could see her sitting by the desk, just staring ahead. "Are you okay?" My voice didn't seem to go higher than a whisper.

"Yeah. I'm okay." I nodded, letting her be. "Thank you." She said so softly I wasn't sure if I were supposed to hear it.

I walked over to her, giving her head a kiss, "sleep tight." I said, walking out of the room.

As I got back to mine, I saw my sister almost mirroring Luna's. I sat down on the bed next to her. "Let me dry your hair."

She just nodded her response, still staring ahead. I did both hers and mine in a matter of seconds, before grabbing her hand and intertwining our fingers.

"Let's get some sleep. We'll talk later."

She just nodded again.

"I love you." I whispered, kissing her temple and getting up.

As we walked to the head of the bed, I heard a sniff and a very low 'love you'. I just made her lay down before doing so myself. Once we were both tucked in, she turned to me, resting her head on my shoulder and sighing; her eyes closed and she was asleep almost immediately.

I stayed up for a few minutes, my eyes fixed on her face. It was still surreal to see her again, to be with her again. Soon, my exhaustion took over and I fell into a restless sleep.

Nightmares haunted me. I kept seeing Fred's body and then Remus'. I remembered Voldemort's face, snake-like and plain horrifying.

I woke up a few hours later with a start. I was sweating cold and gasping for air. I couldn't even calm myself by saying it was just a dream, because it wasn't... it had all happened.

I looked out the window, and saw the sun still up. I didn't want to move, as to not wake Vivi up, so I gently called for Edward, knowing he'd be able to hear me.

He was in the room just seconds later.

"What's wrong?" He asked, kneeling down near my head.

"Bad dream." I said as a way of explaining. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Three-thirty."

So it wasn't so late. I sighed, looking down at my sleeping sister. I didn't want to wake her up, but we needed to eat, and go visit Mum.

"Annie?" I called softly while running my hand through her hair.

"Uh?" She woke up, looking around the room before relaxing. "What?" She murmured, her voice still filled with sleep.

"We have to get up; you need to eat, and we need to see mum."

She nodded, closing her eyes and sighing.

"Annie, I'm serious."

She nodded again, burying herself deeper under the covers.

"Vivianna!" I called a bit louder, laughing at her. She still didn't move, so I got my secret weapon.

Tickling her.

"Okay, okay, I'm up." She hiccuped; she was laughing too hard.

"Good." I replied, getting up as well. I had just remembered Edward was still in the room, so I obviously blushed at our little banter.

"I'll leave you guys to get changed." He said chuckling. "Esme has some food downstairs."

I nodded so he could know I understood and he left.

Annie was already going through my trunk, looking for something to wear. When she found it, she skipped to my bathroom. I just got a pair of jeans and a lose shirt and changed quickly. When the bathroom was free, I went in to brush my teeth and hair.

"I'm going to see if Luna's awake." Vivi informed me.

Three minutes later, a sleepy Luna walked in with Vivi tagging along.

"Morning." I greeted her, handing her a toothbrush. "Let me just get you something to wear, and you can use my bathroom to freshen up." She just nodded, her eyes almost closing.

We were all ready in ten minutes. I could smell food, so we all went downstairs, almost running into the kitchen. Esme was busy attending something on the stove.

"I hope you girls are hungry." She said, turning around. We nodded enthusiastically. "It's almost ready, why don't you take a seat and I'll be right there."

"Okay." I replied.

Luna looked around. "Nice house. Do you have it protected from wrackspurts?" She asked in her dreamy voice.

Vivi and I snorted while Esme, and Carlisle who had just walked in, looked at her. "From what?" Esme asked.

"It's nothing, Esme." I dismissed it before Luna could get into one of her explanations.

Esme merely nodded and went back to plating our food.

"When you girls are done, I would like to check up on you all, if that's alright." Carlisle asked.

"Yes, of course." I replied.

"What are you?" Luna said at the same time.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Carlisle Cullen." He said, offering her hand for her to shake, which she did enthusiastically. "I'm a muggle doctor. I just want to make sure you girls are alright." He explained.

"But what about your kids?" She retorted.

"Luna, they're vampires, remember? They can't get hurt easily." Vivi reminded her.

"Oh, that's right. Is that why I can't see wrackspurts around them?"

We both nodded to her, our lips tight so we wouldn't laugh.

Esme set a plate full of spaghetti in front of each of us, and we dug in almost immediately. I was so hungry.

It took us ten minutes to finish it all.

"It was delicious, Esme, thank you." I said. Esme beamed back at me, truly glad we had enjoyed it.

With our stomachs full, we walked into the living room, where everyone else was sitting. I went to sit by Edward, and sighed when he wrapped his arm around me.

Carlisle checked us over for any injuries, but we were all fine.

It seemed like they wanted to ask us something, but didn't know how. I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about what had happened though, so I interrupted.

"We should go to mum's." I said. "Luna, are you coming with us or would you like to stay here?" I asked.

"Can I stay?" I nodded. "I have to write to my dad."

"You can use Lynx if you want." I offered. She nodded.

"So, I'm not sure what time we'll be back, or if we're getting back today, so don't worry." I informed them. I didn't know how long we would take to catch up; we would have to be back by tomorrow, though. The funerals were the day after tomorrow, and I wanted to be mentally prepared for that.

"Okay." Carlisle replied for them all. Vivi got up, and I turned to Edward,

"Try not to worry too much, okay?" I whispered, brushing some hair out of his face. "I'll be back by tomorrow at the latest." He nodded, brushing his lips lightly in mine.

"I love you."

I replied, pecking his lips once more before walking over to Vivi.

"We should take a portkey. I don't think I'll be able to take you by Side-along Apparition." She nodded, handing me her hair clip.

I waved everyone goodbye as the usual feeling of being grabbed by a hook took over, and seconds later we were standing one street away from mum's place.

As we got closer, I could feel my sister get more nervous.

"It's going to be okay, sis." I told her. "I just hope she doesn't faint or anything." I tried to lighten the mood. It worked, she chuckled lightly before nodding.

We both took a deep breath as we reached the front door. I opened it slowly, walking in and closing the door as Vivi passed by me.

"Mum? Dora?" I called out. Dora came to greet us and lead us to the sitting room, where Teddy was.

"Mum is upstairs. I'll go get her." She said.

I had already picked my nephew up, sitting down and putting him on my lap.

"Hey, little guy. Auntie Bee missed you." I said in that stupid baby voice everyone seemed to acquire near children. I gave his little head a kiss before looking to my left side. "And this... is your Auntie Vivi. How about we say hello to her?" The month-old baby just looked at me and gurgled. "I'll take that as a yes." I chuckled.

He took one look at her and his hair changed color. I wouldn't know if he did it on purpose or not, but it was now bright blue, a contrast from the pale yellow he had just minutes before.

"Hi, little man." Vivi greeted quietly, extending her hand a bit so she could touch him. He grabbed her pointer finger and wrapped his little hands around it, and Vivi was sold. "He's adorable." She whispered.

"Would you like to hold him?" I asked. She looked at me scared. "Just make sure you support his head and body with both your arms, and you're fine." I showed the way I was holding him and she nodded, mimicking my position. Once he was settled in her arms, he looked at her once before yawning and closing his eyes.

"I love you." She whispered, kissing his head lightly and rocking him very gently.

"Isabella." I heard Mum's voice, so I looked up. She was standing by the doorway, so I got up and ran to her. "Oh, my baby, I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried sick when Remus and then Dora left; I knew you would be there, too." She said, breaking the embrace, but keeping me near her by grabbing my face gently. She caressed my cheeks with her thumbs before saying, "I love you."

I replied with a heartfelt 'love you, mum', before we both cried in each others arms. I was just getting caught up with all that had happened; it hadn't really sunk in yet, though.

"Mum, there's something I have to tell you." I whispered, wiping my tears away. She hadn't noticed Vivi sitting next to Dora. "We found Vivi."

At that, my mother let out a loud gasp, and looked around the room, her eyes finally resting on my little sister. Annie handed Teddy back to his mother and got up. I stepped away to give them their privacy, sitting back on the couch next to Dora.

"Hi, Mum." Vivi greeted, her head hung low.

"Vivianna? I thought I had lost you. Oh, baby, come here." Mum replied, opening her arms. Vivi took the invitation, running to her just like I had done minutes before.

I could hear I missed you's and I love you's, but nothing else; they were whispering to each other, catching up on time lost.

We stayed there for dinner, and eventually went to our old rooms for some sleep. We would be going back to the Cullen's tomorrow afternoon, to get ready for the service the day after.

I was having a very restless sleep again; I wonder when I would be able to had a dreamless night of sleep and be able to actually rest. I just sighed, looking up at my ceiling. Sometime later, I heard my door open and my sister walk in. She climbed under the covers and wrapped an arm around me, going back to sleep almost instantly.

This wasn't unusual; when we were kids, she would always come to my room when she had bad dreams. I believe her recovery would be much harder than mine.

Mum made us breakfast in the morning, and offered to go with us to the services. We all agreed to it, needing all the support we could get.

When we got back, Luna had informed us that her father would be meeting up with her at the funerals as well, so she would be staying another day. She absolutely loved Teddy as well; that boy was a charmer already.

When we woke up the next day, I could feel the gloomy atmosphere. I dressed in my school robes, and Vivi did the same, lending Luna one of hers. My sister had packed a few of her things from Mum's.

As we approached Hogwarts, I could feel my heart tighten. Everything was eerily silent, not even the owls were hooting.

I could see many caskets positioned side by side near the Forbidden Forest. Dora had informed us that they would all be buried here, in Hogwarts, where they had all valiantly fought for our freedom.

Edward put a hand on my shoulder, a subtle hint that he was there for me. Mum had her arms wrapped around Vivi, and Dora was holding on to Teddy tightly. She was trying to be strong, but I could see how hard it was for her to hold herself together.

We reached the opening, and Dora went straight to Remus' side. Luna spotted her father and ran to him.

Many people were around, paying their respects or saying goodbye to loved ones. I could see the centaurs by the entrance of the Forest, standing tall in respect.

I spotted the Weasleys right next to where Dora was standing and made my way to them.

"George." I greeted him first. Ron and I were sort of best friends, but I still got along better with his siblings than him. I guess our personalities clashed.

"Bells." He called back, giving me a tight hug. "How are you?" He asked.

"I'm going. How are you?" I asked back.

"I'm... I don't know. It's like it hasn't sunk in yet, you know?" I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

"It'll get better; it won't ever heal, but it will eventually get better." I said sincerely. He just nodded, giving me a hug and going back to his family.

It was so hard, doing this. How could I comfort a friend, when I had lost many people close to me as well? I just shrugged; I was going to do my best.

I greeted all the Weasleys, even Percy, with a hug, before reaching for Hermione and Harry.

"How are you guys doing?" I asked softly.

They both shrugged at the same time. "It's... it's hard, you know?" Mione said.

"Yeah, I do know. I haven't been able to sleep properly." I told them truthfully.

"Me neither." Both of them replied. We looked at each other, all three of us with no words to say.

"Hey, can you guys just wait a second, I'll be right back." I left them and walked to my big sister.

"Dee? Let me have Teddy for a bit. I can see you trying to stay strong for him, but you have to let go, too. I'll keep an eye on him, okay?"

Her eyes were tearing up, and she nodded. With trembling arms, she handed me her son, and whispered a 'thank you'. I just nodded, knowing she needed the time for herself.

I went back to Harry and Mione, who were joined by Ginny and Ron.

"Guys, this is Teddy, my nephew." I introduced him. The girls were on him immediately, cooing and saying how cute he was. I guess he noticed the attention, for his hair changed from black to green in a second.

There were no smiles, though. It was a bittersweet reunion for us.

"Your godson, Harry." I said softly. "Would you like to hold him?" He looked at me alarmed.

"Maybe some other time. What if I drop him?"

I was going to say that he wouldn't, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. Guys and babies just wasn't a good combination.

We caught up for a while, Edward joining us a while later; Harry thanked him and his family for helping us out when they could have just disregarded it. Edward responded the same way he did when I thanked them.

Eventually, we split up, each of us going towards our families. Dora reclaimed her son; I could see her eyes red from crying, but she was more collected now.

A few minutes later, McGonagall called attention, and we all sat down on the chairs set up for the occasion.

"We are here, today, to mourn and honor the souls of these brave witches and wizards, who have given their lives for us; for our freedom and a better world.

"They have all fought valiantly. They stood by our side through it all. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, former teachers, members of our community; they have all given their lives for a noble cause."

I noticed how she didn't mention Slytherins, even though Crabbe had died too; his reasons were far from noble, though.

"Fifty-four people died in the Battle of Hogwarts. It is only just that they all be buried here, where it all happened, like the true heroes they are.

"Let's all raise our wands in respect for all who have died protecting us."

Everyone stood up, raising their lit wands towards the sky; their faces were all somber.

Silently, each casket was closed, and they were laid to rest for ever. Families went to the front to write on their loved ones' tombstones. Dora handed me Teddy before going out there. I took her hand in mine, and walked with her.

"You are not alone, Dora." I whispered. Vivi and Mum walked along with us.

Dora got her wand and scribbled 'Remus John Lupin – Beloved Husband, Father and Friend' and his birth and death dates. She shed a few more tears before composing herself and taking Teddy from my arms.

"He's finally at peace." She murmured.

The Cullens walked forward and paid their respects as well; they had grown found of my brother-in-law. Esme went straight to my sister, comforting her. Edward pulled me to him, letting me cry on his shoulder.

I saw Alice dragging Jasper away, but didn't blame her. The emotions today would be too much for Jasper to handle.

Emmett stepped up and picked my little sister up, setting her on his hips as if she were a little child and cradling her to him, letting her cry on his shoulder. Carlisle went to my mother's side, comforting her as well. I noticed Rosalie look a little lost, as if she wanted to do something but didn't know what.

As the sun set, we all slowly made our way back to Hogsmeade. The Express was set to take us to London in an hour, and we didn't want to miss it.

The ride was long and silent. No one spoke a word, and the silence was only broken once we got to King's Cross, by Harry.

"Bells." He called out. I looked at him and waited. "Is it... may I visit you soon?" He asked.

"I already said you could, Harry." I reminded him gently.

He nodded, pulling me in a hug.

"It's going to be alright, now, Bells. It's going to be alright."

I nodded, hugging him just as tight.

"Look after Teddy for me, and I'll see you soon sis." He said.

"I will. And we'll see each other soon, brother. I love you."

He replied to it before crossing the barrier. I grabbed Edward's hand and walked towards the wall as well, just walking through it with no explanations.

"Cool." I heard him whisper, and chuckle.

Once we got home, the events of the day finally caught up with me. I quickly made my way up, not wanting anyone to see my breakdown.

Someone followed me up, but I didn't dare look who it was. My eyes were already red from crying earlier, but now they also burned from unshed tears.

Once I was inside my room, I broke down. I slid down the wall, my knees bent as I hid my face in them, sobbing.

So many people I knew were dead. Friends, acquaintances, teachers. Dead because someone wanted power.

"Shhh, Bella. It'll be okay, baby." Edward whispered, sitting down next to me and picking me up, pulling me on his lap. "It'll be okay." He kept whispering, running his hand through my hair as he tried to calm me down.

I cried myself to sleep that night, and woke up in Edward's arms, laying in bed.

I had no nightmares that night.

I knew it would be a long road to recovery, but I was willing to take it; I wanted to finally be able to live my life without fearing every step I took. I wanted to live free of worries.

For the first time in years, I felt safe. Remembering Harry's words, I sighed.

"It's going to be alright now."

And it finally would.

* * *

_How was it? Too sad? Rowling never mentioned what happened after the battle, besides the whole epilogue thing, so I made up what I thought would happen. _

_I'm not sure if it's finished yet. Should I write a sequel, or just keep going with this one, adding a year in Hogwarts or something like that?_

_Reviews would make my day!  
_


	11. Chapter 11

_I am sooooo sorry! I didn't mean to abandon this story like this! I just lost my inspiration, and had a bit of a block._

_Watching Deathly Hallows, part 1 (OMG! I cried so hard) and then visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando (absolutely amazing, every fan's dream come true! I actually bought Every Flavour Beans at Honeydukes! Seriously!) brought back my inspiration, but I went away to the beach after Christmas and just got back today, so I couldn't post. _

_From what I have planned out, I'll just continue on the story as it is, without a sequel. (Uh, I meant as, I'll write their last year at school in this story, not starting a new one)  
_

_I hope you guys enjoy this very, very delayed chapter!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi._

* * *

Chapter 11

One week passed by.

I was haunted by nightmares on most nights as I tried to cope with it all.

My sister threw herself in her studies, trying to catch up so she could go back for her last year.

I was planning on begging McGonagall so I could finish my last year, too.

I was up in my room, trying to take a nap; I found out my nightmares weren't as bad during the day.

It felt like I had just succumbed to sleep when someone started shaking me.

"Belly... sissy, you gotta get up. We have visitors." Vivi whispered in my ear, shaking my shoulder lightly. I opened my eyes slowly, closing them almost immediately to shield them away from the light.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you, Bell, but there are some people downstairs wanting to talk to us." Vivi explained.

I sighed, sitting up. "It's fine. Tell them I'll be just a minute." I said while rubbing my hands over my eyes, trying to wake up fully.

"Okay." She replied, turning around and going back downstairs. I got up, brushed my teeth and hair and changed out of my pajamas before walking down.

"Harry!" I exclaimed when I saw him sitting next to Carlisle.

"Bells." He called back, getting up and walking towards me. "It's so good to see you. You look better." He stated.

"Well, so do you." I said back, giving him a hug. He hugged me back before releasing me.

"Hermione's here, too." He said; I just then noticed her sitting next to where Harry had been.

"Mione, you're looking better too." I smiled at her, offering my arms for a hug. "Were you able to bring your parents back yet?"

She had told me she had altered her parents minds and sent them to Australia so they would be out of danger.

"Yes, yes, I just picked them up yesterday. They can't remember the last couple of months, but at least they were safe, right?" She said, sitting down and pulling me to sit next to her.

I nodded along, glad to know her parents were safe.

Someone cleared their throats, effectively cutting our conversation.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall, I didn't see you there." I hadn't noticed her sitting on the far corner of the living room. She was wearing her usual green school robes, her hair tight in a bun.

I got up and walked towards her, not sure how to approach her.

She must have sensed my hesitance, for she opened her arms, pulling me into a short hug.

"Isabella, I'm very glad to see you safe and recovering well." She greeted.

"Thank you. Not to sound rude or anything, but what are you doing here, Professor?" I asked, resuming my seat next to Hermione. "And where's Ron?"

"He's with George and Ginny." Harry answered. I nodded in understanding; he should be with family right now.

"And I have a few things to say." Professor McGonagall said.

Vivi walked in with a tray filled with glasses of pumpkin juice, setting it on the coffee table before handing one for all the humans present.

"Thanks, baby." I whispered, taking my glass from her hand. She just smiled in response and sat down next to me, sipping her juice in the process.

"Professor, would you like to begin?" Harry asked.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Potter. Girls, I am not sure if you were aware of this, but I have been appointed Headmaster." She said, her severe expression lightening up.

"Congratulations." Vivi spoke up while I nodded.

"Thank you. So, we have news for you. Vivianna, due to the events that occurred last year to you, all the teachers have decided that, if so you wish, you may take your fifth and sixth years exams. We are offering this to you because we know you want to finish your education on time." Vivi nodded eagerly. "And we know you can keep up. Most students will be able to catch up as well, the ones that were in Hogwarts this year, and the ones who had to go into hiding. They all deserve the chance to not lose their school year.

"As for you, Isabella, I have already told Harry and Hermione that all seventh years will be allowed to go back for their last year if they so wish. Most students will be receiving their letters in a week, but I wanted to be here in person for this proposition.

"I am extremely grateful for your help, Cullens. You had no obligations towards us, and yet you risked yourselves to save our world. We will be all forever indebted to you."

"We wouldn't have it any other way. Bella is family, and we protect our family." Carlisle said.

"Which is why I want to make an offer to you all. I am aware that none of you is magical, but there are some classes that you could take that requires little to no magic. If you were interested, you could all go to Hogwarts with Isabella and Vivianna, and learn about our world, and also teach us about yours."

My eyes shone. I wouldn't have to be separated from them.

"I may give you some time to think through it all." McGonagall continued. "How about you owl me in a few days with your answer?"

"There's no need." Carlisle said. "We would all be honored to go. We only just learned about the existence of wizards and witches, and would like to learn more about your world. Thank you for giving us the opportunity for that."

"Really?" I shrieked. "You're going to Hogwarts?" I got up and threw my arms around Edward's neck. "We won't need to be apart. I was so worried about it." I said in a more subdued way.

"We'll be together, my love. And I'll be able to watch that Quidditch game you promised." He smiled at me.

"Well," McGonagall interrupted us, "I'm very glad you have agreed to come. I will send you your supply lists along with the girls' after the exams are done. Vivianna, you will receive an owl soon with the information for your exams. You'll take your O.W.L.'s along with the fifth years in June, and your sixth year exams in July."

"Okay, Professor. Thank you so much for the opportunity." Vivi said.

"It's only fair, since none of it was yours or anyone else's fault. Expect an owl soon. I must go now. I'll see you all September first."

"Professor." I interrupted. "May I talk to you for a second before you go?"

She nodded, and I walked with her towards the front door. We stayed on the porch, away from human ears.

"It's about my sister." I said. "She's been having trouble sleeping, and with everything that happened to her, most of which I still don't know about, she's barely able to function. I'm scared that she will only get worse once we go back to school. Isn't there a way for me to be able to be with her during the night? At least for a while? I'm not sure if she'd be allowed to spent the night in my room. We'll work something out if she can't. I'm sorry to bother you, Professor." I said it all quickly, worried about her answer.

"Isabella." Professor McGonagall said. "It's not forbidden for her to be in your common room, you are aware of that. School houses are mainly a way to maintain order and keep the children stimulated. I will talk to the other teachers, and ask their opinion on the matter, but I assure you, we will find a way for you to help your sister. I admire you for wanting to do so, and I'll do all I can to make it possible. I'm sure Professor Flitwick will be more than happy to help as well. Now I must really be going."

I nodded. "Thank you so much, Professor. We'll see you soon. Bye."

"Goodbye." She replied before aparating.

I went back inside, feeling more relieved.

"Bella." Harry called out. "We wanted to talk to you as well." He said.

"Of course. I hope it's okay everyone else is present. They'll know everything we talked about anyways." I said.

"It's no problem." Hermione stated.

"I'll go prepare something for you." Esme said, getting up and heading towards the kitchen before we could protest.

We all got comfortable in the living room. Edward, Vivi and I sat in one of the couches, while Harry and Mione occupied the other. The Cullens sat on the remaining couch and the chairs that were set there before.

"So?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Harry.

"Would you like to know all that happened before the battle?" He asked.

"Absolutely!" I exclaimed.

So he started telling us everything. About the attack at Bill's wedding, which I didn't attend because I was too depressed to think about celebrating, how Death Eaters found them in London. He told us how they broke into the Ministry and stole Slytherin's locket from Umbridge, Yaxley being able to grab Hermione and follow them into Sirius' place, to Ron leaving and returning, to being captured and breaking into Gringotts before going to Hogwarts.

"I gave myself up." He said, telling us how he defeated Voldemort. "Snape handed me a memory before he died, which explained why he had killed Dumbledore and that I was... I was the last Horcrux."

I gasped loudly.

"No! So you did actually..."

"Die, yeah." He finished.

"Harry!" Tears were falling from my eyes. I jumped from my spot right into his arms.

"I'm fine, now, Bells." He tried to comfort me.

"Yes, but you died... you... you..." I tried to say, but my sobs made it impossible.

"Hey, I'm okay. I knew what I was getting into, and I was hoping for something good to come out of it. I used the Resurrection Stone, and I saw my father and my mother, Sirius and Remus. They sent you their love, by the way."

I nodded, not finding it strange that Harry just said my dead cousin and brother-in-law sent their regards.

"Your dead brother-in-law just communicated with Harry?" Emmett exclaimed.

"I guess so." I shrugged.

"And you don't find it weird at all?" He continued.

"Nope, why?" I finally let go of Harry and sat back down next to Edward.

"He's dead." Emmett stated.

"I am aware of that, thank you for reminding me."

"Emmett." Edward warned, and Emmett dropped the subject.

"Go on, Harry." I said, snuggling into Edward.

"I was in a sort of limbo when I died, some place that looked like King's Cross station; there was someone, something there, and it was suffering. I could hear it scream in pain, but it looked… repulsive.

"Dumbledore showed up then, and explained some things to me. He explained how Voldemort's Avada Kedrava didn't kill me. He had my blood, remember? From the Triwizard Tournament?"

I nodded.

"Because of it, he also had my mother's protection. He tried to kill me, but that protection kept me alive. The prophecy, it was not about how 'neither could live while the other survives', but that I'd live while he lived. A part of him was inside me, but a part of me was also inside him."

"Wow." I was stunned.

"Yeah, I know. I knew I was the one that had to kill him. When I came back to life, Narcissa Malfoy was the one to check to see if I were dead or not. She asked me about Draco, and then lied to Voldemort, saying I was dead."

I was shocked. I had no idea my aunt would have done such thing.

"Well, you know the rest." I nodded. "Oh, the Hallows! They are real, Bells!" He exclaimed.

"What?" I shrieked. "Wait, you did say you used a resurrection stone. Was that the one?" He nodded. "And the wand?"

"Dumbledore's wand. He had won it from Grindewald, in that duel that's mention in his card, y'know, from the chocolate frog?"

"And the cloak? That's your cloak, right? The Cloak of Invisibility?"

"Yes… Bella, I am Peverell's last living descendant."

"Amazing. What did you do with the stone and the wand?"

"I dropped the Stone somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. It will do people no good to bring back the dead, you know that, right?" I nodded. "And I used the Wand to fix mine, which had been broken in Godric's Hollow when I was there with Hermione. I put the Elder Wand back where it belonged."

"That was the right thing to do." Hermione said. "It's caused enough trouble for generations."

"And that was basically what happened."

"Oh, Harry, I am so sorry. So sorry I wasn't there with you when you needed me. What kind of Gryffindor am I?" I said softly.

"A true one. Bella, you did what you had to do. You had lost your sister, and you needed to do something to help your family. I knew you wanted to help us, and you did. Bells, you kept us grounded. Your messages, and your letter, helped me keep my mind on what I had to do."

"It did me no good, though. I left to protect my father, but he still died." I cried.

"Yes, it did you good. You found vampires. Only you, Bells, would leave a country to protect yourself, and run into vampires on the first town you go to." He laughed.

"Right. Yes, that was good." I agreed, resting my head on Edward's shoulder. "But I wasn't even able to help. I wasn't even able to find my sister. She needed me and I let her down." The tears came back.

"You didn't, sissy." Vivi said from beside me. "I knew you were looking for me. I knew you'd find me."

"But I didn't. Harry did. He saved you, not me."

"Bella, that's not true. We don't know what happened in that cellar, but the first thing Vivi asked when she saw us was 'Is Belly okay?'. Not even a 'Hi, Harry, so nice to see you'." He joked.

"It's true." Vivi shrugged, resting her head on my shoulder.

"You did what you could, Bells. You helped us more than you'll ever know." Hermione said.

I sighed and nodded, not wanting to argue about that anymore.

Harry decided to change the subject then, and started talking to Edward.

"Is it true you read minds?" He asked.

Edward nodded.

"Can you read mine?"

"It is a bit fuzzy, but mostly yes. I cannot hear Bella nor Hermione, but I could hear Voldemort." He explained.

"Guess he wasn't too worried about people getting into his mind." Hermione stated.

"Alice can see the future." I added. Hermione looked at me a bit skeptically. "For real, not like Trelawney."

"I need to meet this Trelawney person. You're the second person that looks at me like that when they heard I could see the future." Alice chimed in.

Harry, Hermione, Vivi and I laughed.

"She's a fraud, Alice. She can't really see the future most of the time. She predicted Harry would die at least three times." Hermione said.

"The Grim!" Harry exclaimed, opening his eyes wide and mimicking Trelawney's voice. It made us laugh harder.

"You'll meet her soon." I managed to say in between laughs.

"There was something else I wanted to tell you, Bells." Harry said once we all calmed down.

"What is it?"

"Well... since I am of age already, and you know, have no family apart from the Dursleys, I am moving in into Grimmauld Place."

"For real?" I shrieked. He nodded.

"That's awesome! But what about the protection spells? Didn't Yaxley get into one of them?" I asked.

"Yes, but he's dead, isn't he? I don't know if he told anyone, but if he did, it was probably Voldemort. He wouldn't want to tell anyone else, and take the glory away from him. Death Eaters, remember?"

"Right. Well, let me know when you're moving in, I'll help you out with what I can." I said.

"We'll be living in the same city, then." He said. "And we're all going back to Hogwarts together soon. No more staying away from each other." He smiled.

"Speaking of Hogwarts, are you guys excited to go?" Hermione asked my vampires.

They all smiled brilliantly at her.

"Absolutely."

"Of course."

"Hell, yeah!"

They exclaimed.

"Do you think they'll be sorted into houses as well?" Vivi asked.

"No idea. Well, Carlisle and Esme won't be, since they won't go as students. Carlisle didn't have the chance to see the library." I smiled. "I don't think he'll want to leave."

Edward laughed with me. "If it's as grand as the rest of the castle, I'm sure he'll set camp in there." He chuckled.

"Yeah, keep making fun of me. You'll see, you will all come running to me with questions soon." Carlisle retorted.

"Esme will love to explore the castle, too, I'm sure." I said, winking at her.

"I'm sure I will."

"But the rest of them, I don't know if they'll be sorted into houses or not. Their personalities are very different, they wouldn't be in the same houses, like Vivi and I." I said. I noticed Vivianna's smile disappear. I would have to talk to her soon.

"Well, we've lived together for a long time, maybe it'd do us good to be apart." Alice joked.

"I still don't know how you can all live with Emmett at all." I played along.

"I resent that!" Emmett exclaimed.

"You know we love you, big brother." I smiled at him, batting my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He smiled back, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Don't!" I exclaimed.

"Don't what?" He replied.

"I know that look. Whatever it is you're planning to do, don't." I said. His eyes still shone. "Alice will know. Edward will know. And then I will know. And revenge will not be pretty." I warned him.

"Stupid mind-reading brother." He mumbled, making us chuckle.

"So, Harry." I said loudly, trying to muffle Emmett's voice. "Where are you staying for now? You said you are going to move into Sirius' place soon, so where are you staying?"

"Well, I was with Hermione. We didn't want to intrude with the Weasleys. The least we can do is give them some peace, and not have them worry about us as well." I nodded. "We visit them almost every day, we just didn't want to burden them with our presence."

"They need time as a family." Hermione continued. "George will be going back to his place in Diagon Alley soon, and Bill and Charlie will go back to their homes as well. Since my parents don't really know anything, we're staying with them. It's just easier."

I nodded. "You are welcome to stay with us, if you'd like. We have plenty of space. It is okay, right?" I asked, looking at Carlisle and Esme.

"Yes, of course. Any friend of Bella is welcome here." Esme said, smiling sweetly at them.

"Thanks, Bells. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer soon." Harry said.

"Will you guys be free in a week? It's Vivi's birthday." I reminded them.

Vivi looked at me, but didn't say anything. Harry and Hermione nodded, saying they hadn't forgotten, and that they'd be here.

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and eating Esme's homemade cookies, which were delicious.

When they were ready to leave, Harry took me aside.

"I'll be back soon. I'll stay over for a week or so, so we can catch up, how does that sound?"

"Great! I'll be waiting. I love you." I whispered, pulling him into a hug.

"Love you, too. By the way, there's no need to keep all those protection spells up, you know. I can see they're all going crazy with no electricity in here."

I chuckled and nodded. I would take them down soon.

Hermione gave me a hug goodbye before they both apparated from our backyard.

"Please, take the spells down, Bells. Please." Emmett pleaded as soon as I was inside. "I need my video-games back."

I chuckled at him. "Okay, Em. Just because I already put you through too much."

He hugged me, making me laugh. I was amazed how simple things could make him so happy.

Soon after, I took down the spells, and everything came back to life. Emmett whooped before running to the front of the TV, setting up his vast collection of video-games consoles. He challenged Jasper to a Halo tournament, and they were both gone.

Vivi went up to her room, leaving us downstairs. I needed to talk to her soon, but decided to give her some time alone first.

It wasn't long before Edward told me she was crying in her room, and I ran up the stairs as fast as I could.

I found her curled up in bed, legs bent up as she hugged them close to her. Her sobs were making it hard for her to breathe.

"Annie." I called out before going to her, lying down in front of her and holding her to me. "You can talk to me, baby. Please, let me in." I pleaded. I couldn't stand seeing her like that anymore.

My hand went to her hair, caressing it gently as her sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry." She said through her sobs.

"There's nothing to apologize, sis. You're hurting. You've been through so much. I just want to help. Please, I can't stand seeing you in so much pain." I whispered.

She let go of her legs, coming closer to me and resting her head on my shoulder, tears still falling down.

"I'm scared." She whispered, her voice weak from crying. "I'm scared that, if I let it go, I'll go back to the darkness."

"What darkness?" I asked softly, my hand still running through her hair.

"The cellar. It was always dark. I could barely see an inch in front of me. I don't like the dark." She told me.

"I won't let you go." I reassured her. "Were you always kept in that cellar?" I asked.

She nodded. "Bellatrix had ordered Malfoy to get one of us. I overheard them talking one day. She said we could be useful to them, because we're metamorphmagi, so we could change appearances and recruit people."

I gasped. So that spell was meant to me after all.

"Why did you jump in front of me, Annie? That spell was meant for me, not you. I should have been the one captured, not you." I said, tears starting to form.

"I couldn't let them have you. I just couldn't." She continued. "I spent weeks with only water and stale bread for food, and I was always in the dark. Whenever Bellatrix was away, which became very often, Narcissa would bring me real meals. She kept me fed and let me have a shower every couple of days, she even set apart some clothes for me. She never let me free, though. I think she was scared of Bellatrix, too. We all knew what she was capable of doing.

"One day, Bellatrix ordered I change myself so I could look like someone else, and sent me on a mission. She took me to a house, and told me to go in, tell them I was a long lost relative and get their trust so she could come in and Imperius them all.

"I didn't do that, though. She couldn't hear what I was saying, so I told them to run and hide, and then made it look like they had fought me. She took me back to the cellar, and didn't make me come out again. She tortured me." Her voice was emotionless, silent tears running down her face. My eyes were burning for the tears that wanted to fall, but I held them back.

"Narcissa kept looking after me as best as she could. She's not completely bad, you know. She told me many things, about Mum and how she regretted some choices she had made in life. She had a soft side buried beneath the tough exterior. She was just scared; you could say she was a coward, never standing up for herself.

"A few months passed by, and I was doing okay. I got used to the dark. Bellatrix never went down again, so she didn't know I was being treated alright, and she stopped her torture. One day, someone else appeared there; Mr Ollivander.

"He was badly bruised, and weak. He had been tortured for information, and sent to the cellar. He and I helped each other, but from that day on, I was back to being treated badly. Not long after, Luna was put there, too. Her father had been showing his support for Harry, and Death Eaters didn't like that, so they snatched Luna from the train when she was going back home for Christmas."

"How... how did you manage to keep sane? I would have gone crazy." I whispered, hugging her close to me.

She reached for her back pocket, and brought out a piece of worn-out paper, handing it to me. The tears I was holding back fell freely when I saw it. It was the same picture I had shown Edward months ago, with the message I had written to her in the back. _"I'll always be with you, wherever you are. Love, Bee."_

"You. You kept me sane. I knew you would never give up on me. I could sense you sometimes, when you were down, and it broke my heart. I told myself I had to go back to you, no matter what."

"I'm so sorry." I cried. "I'm sorry I couldn't be stronger. I should have looked harder. I should have done something."

"What? What could you have done? I know you did your best, sissy. I was barely fifteen, you were sixteen. You couldn't have done much, you were underage." She reasoned.

I sighed. I was the one supposed to comfort her, not the other way.

"I know you feel guilty, Bizzy. You don't have to, it was not your fault. It was not my fault either. You need to let it go, too, you know?" She said softly.

She was right; the guilt I felt was overwhelming.

"I know." I whispered. "But I need to know everything that happened to you, first. I'll worry about myself later."

"Bizzy Bee..." She sighed. "I don't want you to feel guilty. Do you promise to let it go when I'm done?"

I nodded hastily. I'd do anything, if it took the pain away from her.

"Luna, Mr Ollivander and I helped each other. He kept us entertained with his stories, and Luna and I told him about everything we learned in school. We told each other about our families. Mr Ollivander could remember every wand he had sold, even Mum's and Dad's. Did you know Daddy set Mr Ollivander's beard on fire?" She chuckled.

"Really?" I chuckled.

"Yeah. It helped a bit, but the darkness was always there. The Malfoy manor was the meeting place for Death Eaters, and sometimes a couple of them would go down to the cellar to torture us." She motioned for her shirt, which I lifted, showing some scars on her back. I gasped.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" I whispered, my finger gently going through the pink skin.

"What good would it do?" She replied.

I sighed.

"They hurt us, physically and mentally. After some time, I learned how to resist some of the curses. I never screamed, never giving them the satisfaction of hearing my pain.

"One day, they brought over more people. Imagine my surprise when I saw Harry, Ron and Dean, along with a goblin, entering the cellar. Ron had a weird object with him, and he gave us some light.

"We could all hear Hermione's scream upstairs. Harry and Ron were able to escape, killing Wormtail, and rescuing Hermione. Harry was able to call for help, and Dobby came to rescue us. Bellatrix killed him." She narrated.

"We were brought over to Bill's place; I stayed there until I was healed, which took a while. The day before the battle, I had finally left the cottage, to be with the Weasleys. And you know the rest." She finished.

Tears were falling freely now. I could not believe she had been through so much, and still had the strength to go fight. She shouldn't have had to live through all that; she should have been able to finish her fifth and sixth years, and be on her way to her last year. It should have been me in there.

"Belly? Please, don't beat yourself up. You promised." She whispered, knowing exactly what was going through my mind.

"I can't. You shouldn't have gone through all that. It should have been me. The spell was going to hit me, but you protected me. You're my baby sister, it's my job to look after you, and I failed." I said with a broken voice.

"You didn't fail me. Isabella, please. Please." She pleaded, looking me in the eyes for the first time. Her head was still resting on my shoulder, her face red from crying.

"It won't be easy, Vivi. You have no idea how I was like the last year or so. No one dared be near me for a while. Not even Dora was able to get through me." I said.

"Tell me." She whispered, turning on her side and draping an arm around my torso. I lay on my side as well, freeing my shoulder, so I was able to look at her.

"Dora was unconscious, and Sirius had just been killed. I wasn't paying any attention to anything. When you disappeared, I got up and ran through every place I could in that room, but you were nowhere.

"We got back to the castle, Ginny and Luna having to drag me along, and I locked myself in my room. I cast spells so no one would bother me. Hermione tried to reach out to me for days, but I didn't move.

"A week later, Professor McGonagall came into our room, and demanded I take down the spells, which I did immediately. She told me to take a shower and change, which I also did quickly; she then took me to her office.

"She knew all that had happened, obviously, or else she wouldn't have let me go on enclosed in that space for so long. Not long after, Mum and Dad showed up, and Professor Flitwick too. McGonagall asked me to go with Flitwick to your common room, and gather all your belongings.

"It took me almost an hour, because I couldn't see through my tears. Luna helped me. She truly is a great friend."

Vivi nodded in agreement.

"After I was done, I grabbed my trunk, too, and Mum and Dad brought me home. All I could do was cry. I barely ate, and went days without sleep. Mum was really worried, and I overheard her telling Dad she wanted to send me to St Mungo's.

"I spent most of my summer like that. I didn't want to go back to school in September, but mother was set about it. So, I went back. The first few weeks were horrible. Hermione had to help me keep up with classes because I wouldn't pay attention.

"I couldn't take the pity stares. It seemed everyone looked at me like that, and it drove me mad. You were not dead, I couldn't, wouldn't give up on you. In November, I just snapped. I realized I was doing you no good moping around, and I needed to do something productive. I went over every possibility, but it never, ever occurred to me to look in the most obvious place.

"Malfoy cast the spell, so it had to be one of the first places I should look, but I dismissed it; I thought he wouldn't dare send you to his own home. I was so wrong." I cried.

"You did all you could, sissy. We both lost two years of our lives because of it, but we are stronger now. We can take anything that will be thrown at us."

I nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Have you slept at all these past days?" I asked.

Edward had stayed with me after my breakdown, and Vivi hadn't come into my room anymore. She shook her head.

"I should have noticed. How could I be so selfish?" I whispered, mumbling to myself.

"You are not! You haven't been able to sleep, either. And I know being with Edward soothes you."

"But at what expense? You need to rest, too. You are taking your exams soon. I _need_ to make sure you do well." I said. "If you can't sleep, please, please tell me. You're not alone anymore, you have me. I want to help, I need to help you. Please, let me." I begged.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I didn't want to burden you. You have a boyfriend now, I didn't want to intrude."

"Edward won't mind. He loves you, you know. He wants you to get better, too. He's suffering right along with you, whenever you cry or have bad dreams. He can hear everything that goes through your mind." Her eyes went wide. "He never tells me. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried about that. He can tell you everything if he wants to, I just had no idea he was suffering as well. I'm so sorry." She said yet again.

"There's no need, Vivi." I heard Edward's voice from the doorway. He made his way to the bed and lay down behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder. "As Bella said, I love you. We all do, and we all want you to get better. If what makes you better is sleeping with your sister, don't let my presence hinder you."

Vivi nodded, silent tears once more escaping her eyes.

"Thank you. For everything you have done for my sister, and for me. Thank you for keeping the hope alive in Bella, for making her laugh when she wanted to cry. I don't know you all that well, but I know my sister; you have changed her, so much. It's amazing."

"She has changed me, too." He whispered, kissing the corner of my mouth lightly.

"So, how about I get both something to eat, and then you go to bed. You both look exhausted, you need to rest." Edward suggested.

"Okay." I agreed, sitting up and grabbing the hand Edward offered me. "I just need a shower. I'll meet you downstairs in ten?" He nodded, kissing my lips once before running off. "You should shower, too, Vivianna. I don't want you stinking up my bed." I said, running from the pillow she threw my way.

After eating an omelet, Vivi and I went to my room.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Belly." She whispered, snuggling close to me.

"You're safe now. You can sleep." I whispered. "I love you." I said as I kissed her temple.

"Love you, too." She slurred, finally falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

_There you go! Yes, finally! I'm sorry it took so long for me to post this! I truly am. _

_You guys have no idea how my mind goes crazy when I have to figure out what year they should have passed in school, which year they were meant to be and all... so if I got something wrong, please let me know! I think I got it all right with Vivi's years and all, but oh well, sometimes our minds just like to play tricks on us, right?_

_Should I go down on my knees and beg for reviews? I'm doing so right now! Please, please... pretty please with sugar on top, review? I promise I won't take as long to update again!  
_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey people! New chapter up! Didn't take as long as last time, uh?_

_Hope you enjoy it, it's building up for some more drama. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Vivianna.  
_

* * *

Chapter 12

The next week was spent studying with Vivi, and visiting Mum and Dora. We decided on not staying home with them for a few reasons. Both my Mum and my sister were mourning; they each had their way of coping with the death of their husbands, and we didn't want to interfere.

Also, Dora had her baby to look after, and no matter how much I loved the little guy, he was loud when he was hungry. We have been having trouble sleeping in a silent, peaceful house, how would we sleep if we were back home?

Mother understood our reasoning, and we promised to visit them often, which we did. My little sister needed to see them, and I wouldn't let her down.

Vivi's birthday was this Saturday, and we were throwing a small party for her. She was turning seventeen, it was something worth celebrating. I sent an owl to the few people we wanted to be there, and Esme said she would take care of the food, so all I needed to do was get my sister a present.

I set it up with Edward so we could go to Diagon Alley on Friday, while Vivi stayed at Mum's. Alice, Emmett and even Rosalie wanted to go, so we would make a trip out of it.

Thursday night, Annie lay down in bed next to me once again. She was getting more sleep, and starting to look healthier. Her eyes no longer had dark bruise-like shadows under them, but they still looked haunted.

"We'll just drop you off at Mum's tomorrow, okay?" I informed her.

"Why?"

"It has to do with your birthday." I smiled, winking. She giggled back.

I was so glad she let me throw this party for her. I had missed her sixteenth, and I didn't want to miss a birthday ever again.

"I'll just study some more then." She said. "I really need to do well." She sighed, closing her eyes.

"You'll do just fine. Why do you think you were placed in Ravenclaw, if not for your brains, uh?" I said softly.

"I wish I were a Gryffindor." She whispered, and I almost didn't get it.

"Why?" I had to ask.

"I would be with you; I would be _like_ you." She said. "I've always looked up to you. When you got into Gryffindor, that was what I wanted as well. I wanted to be just like you." She confessed.

I was flattered; I knew she looked up to me – the same way I did for my big sister – but I had no idea of how much of an influence I was in her life.

"I didn't like it when I was placed in Ravenclaw. I wanted to be with you, because you were safe; you were home. But I got over it, and then Luna helped me through it." She pointed out.

I nodded along. "You're still the bravest girl I've ever met. I guess your intelligence was more noticeable, though." I said softly.

"It doesn't matter anymore." She whispered. "I thought that you would be different once you got back home; I thought you wouldn't love me anymore." I opened my mouth to retort, but she stopped me. "I know now that it's not true. But I was eleven, and you were almost thirteen. What teenage girl would like to have their little sister tagging along to everything?"

"Me." I whispered, a faint smile on my face. "There were times where I wanted to strangle you, don't doubt that," I joked. "But usually you were pretty cool for a little sister." I winked.

She yawned, and nodded. "You were cool for a big sister as well." She yawned once more. "I'm sleepy, Belly. Night." She whispered, closing her eyes.

"Good night." I replied, but she was already asleep.

Edward was in the room as soon as he heard her fall asleep. He stayed with me still, just not on the bed; he would kneel down on the floor, near my head, and we would talk until I fell asleep. He didn't feel any discomfort that humans would for staying on the same position for hours; and it helped me with my nightmares, just knowing he was close by.

I turned on my side and faced my vampire, smiling.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" I whispered, as he leaned down to give me a kiss.

"Oh yes." He replied. "I can't wait to see the place you talk so much about; it sounds magical – pun intended." He winked, making me giggle.

"It is amazing. I don't know how it's going to look like, though. Some stores were abandoned, and in others the owners were captured, like Mr Ollivander, so I don't know what's it gonna be like." I said honestly. "Our first stop will be at Fred and Geo... I mean, George's store. I promised him a visit." I finished in a whisper.

My Edward ran a hand through my hair in a comforting gesture.

"Okay, we'll go there first." He agreed.

"Harry is going to meet us there. I don't know who's going to be with him, but probably Hermione, Ron and Ginny." I told him. "He needs to buy a few things for his new house. We cleaned it up when it was Headquarters a few years ago, but it still lacks the feel of home." I explained, and then looked at him. "Hey, maybe you and Emmett could help him with something." I said.

"What?" He asked, grinning.

I shook my head at my impressionable boyfriend, "let me run it through him first, okay?"

He pouted slightly, but agreed.

My eyes started to feel heavy, and a yawn escaped my mouth.

"Go to sleep, my Bella. I'll be here to watch over you." He whispered, kissing my temple and bringing the covers up, tucking me in. "I love you." He reminded me.

"I love you, too." I slurred, sighing contently and closing my eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

Friday morning found us sitting on Edward's magically altered car, driving through London to drop Annie off and then going to Diagon Alley. Mum had cast a spell so the seats would stretch to fit everyone, but look the same on the outside.

Since the Ministry had been reestablished and all, portkeys were once again only allowed to be set with the Ministry's approval, and I surely didn't want to be caught doing anything illegal, so we were driving everywhere now.

We reached Mum's place quickly, and I went in to greet my family before leaving them for the day. Dora decided to go with us, leaving Teddy with Mum and Vivi.

"Wotcher, everyone." Dora greeted Alice, Emmett, Rose, Edward and Jasper, before sitting next to me on the passenger seat.

They all murmured their 'hellos' back, and apart from my directions to Edward, everyone was silent. They were all too excited to form coherent sentences.

Soon enough, Edward was parking near the Leaky Cauldron, and we exited the car quickly. Jasper was having a hard time controlling Alice and Emmett's enthusiasm, and we were all a bit too happy to be considered normal.

We were able to walk through the bar with no trouble; it was still early, and only the owner, Tom, was there. He greeted us quickly, before going back to rearranging his tables.

Dora took out her wand once we reached the brick wall behind the pub, and touched the right brick; the wall turned into a big portal, giving place to a street full of stores.

Alice seemed to explode in happiness; she loved to shop, and had been denied so for a while now.

"We need to go to Gringotts first." I informed my sister. She nodded, leading the way.

"What's a gringott?" I heard Emmett ask.

"It's the wizard bank, Emmett. And it's called Gringotts." I explained. He just nodded.

"And why are we going there?" Jasper asked.

"Well, I did ask you to bring your muggle money, didn't I?" I asked in return. They all nodded in unison. "We don't work with credit cards. So we are going to change your pounds into our money." I tried to explain. "It's just like you did when you came to England, and had to exchange dollars to pounds."

"Oh, I got it. Thanks, Bella." Jasper replied.

By then we had reached the bank, passing through the street without a single glance around. I guess we were all too focused on our conversation.

"You know, maybe I should do this transaction. Goblins are easily offended, and they don't deal well with other creatures. No offense or anything." I said. "Why don't you hand me your money, and I'll get it all done. You can come in," I said as I saw them all looking sad, "just let me do the talking."

They agreed quickly, and we went in. Dora was already talking to a goblin, handing him a key.

"See you soon, Bee." She called out as she followed the goblin into her vault. She and Remus had started to save before the wedding, and now... well, everything was hers.

We walked briskly to the counter, facing one of the goblins.

"Yes?" He asked, eying my family with disdain.

"We need to exchange muggle money." I said in a business-like voice.

"Certainly, how much?"

I turned, facing the Cullens, who handed their money to me. I handed it back to the goblin, and his eyes went wide.

He got out a scale, and started to weigh the coins. It took him a while, and by then Dora was already back.

"There you go." He finally said, reaching for a big bag.

"Could you put them into separate bags? Seven in total." I asked.

"Make that ten." Edward intervened. The goblin, now looking at the vampires with respect, nodded, and quickly separated the money into ten small leather bags.

"I also need to visit my vault." I said, more to myself.

"Bella." Edward sighed, grabbing all ten bags in his hand and walking away, not leaving me a choice but to follow.

When I got outside, I saw Edward handing each of his siblings one of the bags, keeping a few with him.

"Edward, I need to get some money as well. Will you be fine here while I go back in?" I asked.

He just put his arm around my shoulders, kissing my temple before handing me one of the bags.

"No, no way, Edward." I tried to argue, even though I knew it was a lost cause.

"Please, Bella?" He pleaded. He wanted to take care of me, in any way he could.

I just sighed in defeat and accepted the money, albeit a bit reluctantly.

"Dora?" Edward called, holding out a bag for her as well.

"What? No, why?" She stuttered.

"Well, you're family, for one. And you accepted us, as easily as Bella did. You deserve more, but that is all we can offer right now." He told her softly.

She just nodded, a bit teary eyed. "Thank you."

"The other one's for Vivi." Alice informed us. "Now, please, can you explain what are all these coins? I'm lost." She asked, bouncing on her feet.

We walked farther away from the bank, stopping a few meters down, so we wouldn't be in the way.

"Okay." I said, opening the bag Edward had given me. "This is a Galleon." I showed the golden coin. "The silver one is a Sickle, and the bronze one is a Knut. 17 Sickles for a Galleon and 29 Knuts for a Sickle. It's pretty easy."

They all nodded showing they understood.

"Where first?" Emmett asked excitedly.

"George's." I said softly, a great contrast to his booming voice. Edward squeezed my shoulder in sympathy, and I took hold of the hand that was caressing my arm, interlacing our fingers.

As we walked, I pointed out some of the stores we would be visiting later. Alice wanted to visit Madame Malkin's, and Edward and Jasper were pretty excited about the apothecary.

"Belly-bear." George exclaimed as soon as we walked into the store. "You're here." He smiled, though it did not reach his eyes.

"I promised, didn't I?" I said softly, letting go of Edward so I could give my friend a hug.

He threw his arm around my shoulder, much like Edward had done a few minutes before, and guided me into the store.

"So, what do you need? Puking pastilles? Ton-tongue Toffee? Let me know, and I'll hook you up with a pretty decent discount." He offered.

"Emmett would love to have a tour." I told George. "He'll make you a few galleons richer today, I promise." I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder.

George lifted his head, noticing the rest of my family. "Oh, hey guys. Hey Tonks, how's the little tyke doing?"

My sister smiled widely. "He's doing wonderful. I'll bring him by some day."

George nodded. "So, Emmett is it? What is it that you need?"

"Before you get into your mischief, is there anything I could buy for Vivi?" I interrupted what I was sure to be the beginning of a great friendship.

"Well... Ginny really loved the Pigmy Puffs." He informed me. "Think she'll like one?" He let go of me, grabbing a small, fluffy thing from a shell and handing it to me.

"Aw, it's so cute." I smiled. "Yes, she'll love this. Can I have a purple one, though?" I handed him the pink fluff, and he gave me a purple one instead.

"Thank you. You can go back to Emmett now." I smiled, cuddling with the tiny ball of fur. "I think I may get one of these myself." I mumbled, reaching out for a slightly lighter purple Pigmy Puff.

Emmett and Jasper followed George around as he showed them his products. I could see both vampires' eyes shine with mischief.

"Do you think anything here would work in vampires?" Alice asked. She hadn't been able to see anything too far into the future for a while.

"No idea." I replied. "But I'm sure we'll find out soon." I smiled, looking at my vampire brothers discussing something animatedly, while George laughed, nodding along.

"Bella!" Someone exclaimed, deviating my attention.

"Oh, Harry. I'm so glad you made it." I smiled, stepping forward to greet my friend. He hugged me briefly, still holding hands with Ginny. "And you too, Gin." I embraced her.

"Thanks, Bella." She smiled.

I greeted Ron and Hermione, who were also walking in hand-in-hand, before going back to my boyfriend. He looked really adorable holding on both furry animals in his hands.

"Do you guys think Vivi would like one of these?" I asked, taking the Pigmy Puffs from Edward and showing them to my friends.

"Oh yeah. They're adorable, and easy to care for." Ginny explained. "I've had one since last year." She added.

I nodded, my mind made up.

"Hey George, can you ring these up?" I asked loudly. He broke the conversation with Emmett and Jasper, and nodded my way.

"Two galleons." He said once he reached me.

"That's it? Are you sure?" I asked. It was a bit too cheap for it to be the real price.

"I'm charging you a Galleon each, sis. Isn't that enough?" He retorted. He was playing the family thing, calling me 'sis' and all. I just sighed and handed him the two Galleons, and got my little cages with both fluffy things in. "I've added some food for them as well. When you run out, just owl me and I'll send more." He smiled, winking.

"Okay. You are coming to Vivi's birthday party tomorrow, right?" I asked.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He replied seriously.

I smiled at him, thankful.

Emmett and Jasper spent a pretty good amount of money in there before we left for some shopping.

"So, Bells. What should I get Vivi? And also, I need some stuff for my home, do you think you could help?" Harry asked, throwing an arm around Ginny's shoulder.

"Well, you know she loves to read. And Quidditch. And of course I'll help you with your home stuff, but you know, Esme is a really great interior decorator, maybe we could ask for her help? We'll go around London, through muggle stores." I suggested.

He nodded.

"Oh, and I have a suggestion. You know the painting of Sirius' mother? I know she apparently cast a Permanent Sticking Charm, but the vampires are really strong. Do you think they'd be able to rip it off? Or maybe break the wall, and then redo it." I suggested.

"Think that would work? I'd do anything to get that woman out of my house." He grimaced. "We can't make any noises near the stairway, and it gets old fast."

"We could go there this Sunday, right baby?" I asked, looking up at Edward, only to notice him looking around, his mouth hanging open in awe.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked back, looking at me. I let out a giggle before answering.

"The thing about helping Harry, he said it's okay if you want to help, and I asked if Sunday was a good day." I told him once again.

"Oh, yes, yes, Sunday is fine. We can get everyone and make a day out of it. You know we don't get tired, and Esme will make sure we get it all clean." He replied.

"See, Harry, you got yourself seven maids that won't ever get tired to help you clean up that place." I smiled at my friend.

"Wicked." He replied, chuckling.

We reached Flourish & Blotts, and everyone scattered around the store.

"Maybe Carlisle would like a few books on your kind of medicine." Edward whispered, running his fingers through the spine of some books.

"I'm sure he'd like that." I replied, nodding along for emphasis.

We paid for our purchases, waiting outside for the others. Hermione and Ron came out soon after, letting us know they needed to go buy Crookshanks some food. The rest of the Cullens soon were out as well as Ginny and Harry. Dora was the last, and she said she would meet up with us later, as she needed to buy some things for Teddy.

I showed Alice, and Rosalie, Madame Malkin's and Twillfitt and Tatting's, but Alice just couldn't understand that witches and wizards dressed in robes and not 'normal' muggle clothes most of the time. We did so to blend in, but the older wizards just didn't know how to combine clothes so they'd just rather go with robes.

Rosalie was being quite nice today. She didn't talk to me directly, but she would smile in my direction every now and then, and her eyes were shining as she looked around the street.

Our next stop was Quality Quidditch Supplies, where I stood along with Ginny drooling over a Firebolt. The boys went around the store looking through stuff, and they ended up buying a book about Quidditch teams, while Harry got Vivi a flag that sang her team's anthem. She was a true Holyhead Harpies fan.

We stopped by the apothecary, and Emmett insisted on buying Dragon's blood. I had told him they were a protected species, therefore he would not be allowed to hunt them. He wanted to try their blood anyways, so he bought a full bottle. The apothecary owner's eyes were shining while Emmett paid.

Harry looked around for things for his home, and ended up buying a few things. Sirius' old house was poorly decorated, and he wanted to change that.

We walked around for a while, just strolling down the street. Alice and Rosalie both bought a bit too much stuff, but they were having fun, so no one complained.

Hermione and Ginny really liked them as well, which made my life easier. I was glad my best friends got along with my vampire family.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow?" I asked as we made our way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Dora was already there, waiting for us.

"We'll be there." Hermione replied, embracing me quickly as she stepped in front of the fireplace.

"Count us in." Ginny smiled, waving goodbye. She stepped into the flames after throwing some Floo powder into it. "The Burrow." She said clearly before vanishing. The others followed suit, and we made our way to the car.

We dropped Dora off and picked Vivi up before heading home for the evening. I got Annie out of the car as Edward unloaded my purchases, so she wouldn't see what I had bought for her. It wasn't like I could just wrap it up.

We had dinner and went to bed early, as we were both tired.

The next morning, I woke up early, and got up, trying not to wake my sleeping sister. I made my way downstairs after freshening up, and started on breakfast.

I made a simple meal of toast and scrambled eggs, and orange juice. I put it all together in a tray, and placed a single brownie with a candle stuck in it.

I asked Edward to keep everyone downstairs for a while, as I woke my sister up. Dora, Mum and Teddy were arriving soon, to help us organize the party.

"Wakey, wakey, birthday girl." I whispered, setting the tray aside as I knelt down to wake my sister up.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled, snuggling deeper under the covers.

"Annie, it's your birthday. You're seventeen now, angel. Isn't that enough reason to wake up?" I joked, tickling her sides.

"I'm up, I'm up." She squealed, sitting up.

I sat down next to her and pulled her to me. "Happy Birthday." I whispered, kissing her head.

"Thanks, sissy." She replied. "Is that eggs that I smell?" She asked, sniffing loudly.

"You know it is." I replied back. "Sit down properly." I ordered as I took out my wand from my pocket and lit up the single candle.

"Make a wish." I said as I brought the tray over her lap.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and blew the candle out. She dug right in after that, offering me some scrambled eggs. I just shook my head, letting her know I had already eaten.

The doorbell rang as she was finishing the brownie, so I told her to freshen up as I helped Mum and Dora. I headed to the backyard, where most of the vampires were with my family.

"Morning, Mum, Dee." I greeted them with a smile. "Vivi will be down soon, she's just taking a shower."

They both nodded, and I headed towards my big sister.

"Hey, little guy." I greeted my godson. "I missed you." I smiled at him, gently taking him into my arms. He looked at me with ice blue eyes and blinked. His hair turned brown, just like mine. "Well, aren't you a smart cookie." I praised him, rubbing his nose with mine.

"Bee, what do you need done?" Dora asked, smiling at us.

"Esme may need some help with the snacks." I said, looking at Mum.

"I'm on it." She winked, walking into the kitchen, where Esme was already at work.

"The rest is fairly easy. Just hang some streamers and balloons and all. Set up the tent as well." I said. Dora took out her wand, and looked around deep in thought.

"Some here, and here?" She asked, pointing around. I nodded in agreement.

We got to work, and in no time, everything was set up. The Cullens just looked at us in awe. Dora started moving some tables around, and I helped with the chairs.

I still had my nephew in my arms, but was still able to help out, which amazed them.

"Hey, anyone care to entertain this little guy for a while?" I asked. "There are some other things to be done."

Rosalie volunteered right away. Dora looked at me, waiting to see if I would approve, and I nodded. Despite everything, Rosalie was family, and she did love kids.

I set Teddy on her lap, and waited a few minutes to see if he would cry or something, but he went straight to her hair, changing his to match that color. He smiled, and grabbed a handful of her hair then, playing with it for a while.

Dora and Mum followed me into my room upstairs, where Vivi was finishing getting ready.

"Happy Birthday." Dora and Mum sang out.

"Hi." Vivi greeted, smiling brightly at us; she was wearing clothes similar to mine. Jeans, a shirt and sneakers.

"Oh, my littlest baby is of age now. I can't believe it." Mum went to her, her eyes tearing up a bit.

"Mum." Vivi whispered, pulling Mother into a hug.

"All my girls, so grown up already. I just can't believe it. I'm so surreal, to see all three of you like this. Together, in the same room, and not killing each other." She sighed. "I'm so glad you girls get along."

We knew she wished she had a better relationship with her sisters, but seeing as one was a Death Eater and the other was married to one, that was a bit difficult.

"Here, this is for you." She interrupted her thoughts, handing Vivi a small square box. "It belonged to your Grandma Tonks."

I smiled. Grandma had made sure we were taken care of, even after her death. She had left a few heirlooms, and mother had given Dora and me one at our seventeenth as well.

"It's beautiful." Vivi held up the bracelet. "Can you put it on?" She asked Mum, showing her wrist.

"I got you something, too." Dora smiled, heading towards Vivi and giving her a hug. "For my baby sister." She handed another gift. It turned out to be a recipe book, and we all laughed. We all had our shares of bad experience when Vivianna decided to help in the kitchen.

"Thanks, Dee. I'll make good use of it." Vivi smiled.

"I have a gift as well." I said softly.

"Belly, you didn't..." She started.

"I know I didn't have to, but you're my baby sister, and I wanted to buy you something. Let me go get it." I quickly went into Alice's room and retrieved both Pigmy Puffs.

"For you." I said, handing her the cage.

"Awww, how adorable. Ginny has one of these." She said, opening the cage and grabbing the small, fluffy thing. "Is it a girl or a boy?"

"Both girls." I said, showing her mine.

"You got one for you, too?" I nodded. "Cool. What did you name her?"

"Uh, didn't think of a name yet." I told her.

"I'll name her... Maggie." She announced. "I'll probably have to keep her here during the party." She mumbled, putting the Pigmy back into its cage.

We went back downstairs after I finally came up with a name for my Pigmy – Mia. Esme had prepared some lunch for us while we were upstairs, and we all sat down to eat; the vampires tried not to stare at us while we ate, and we were able to have a fairly nice lunch time.

Rosalie fed Teddy his bottle, which gave my sister some time to eat properly. She looked a bit thinner and more tired than usual, so any reprieve was welcome.

At around two o'clock, our guests started to arrive. We had a fenced in backyard, and most wizards were able to just apparate into it. George was the first one to arrive, following by the rest of the Weasleys and Harry and Hermione.

Luna and her father showed up soon after, along with a few of Vivi's housemates. Neville was there with his Grandmother. The Patil twins were there as well; why we invited them, I wouldn't know.

Everyone that mattered was here, and Vivi was having a great time, which was the most important part. No one even blinked once the sun changed position and the vampires started to _sparkle_. It was extremely weird to see, though, no matter how many times I had said I was okay with it.

The Cullens were all excited as well. They wanted to know more about our world, and some guests ventured towards them to talk. Carlisle had started a conversation with Xenophilius Lovegood, and it seemed both of them were getting along.

We sang Happy Birthday, and Vivi cut the Snitch shaped cake. Once it started to get dark, most of the guests started to leave. Only the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and Luna with her dad stayed. Carlisle and Esme were talking to Molly, Arthur and Xenophilius, along with my mother, while the 'younger' crowd was gathered together on the other side of the backyard.

I was sitting in between Edward's legs, my back straight against his chest, when the doorbell rang. Edward stiffened, and I looked up, asking him silently who was at the door.

"It's your Aunt Narcissa." He informed me.

I sighed, getting up to get the door. I had no idea what she wanted, and why she had chosen today to show up.

"Isabella." She greeted once I opened the door.

"Aunt Narcissa. May I ask what you are doing here?" I looked around, trying to see if Lucius or Draco were nearby.

"I came alone. If it's okay, I would like to speak with your mother, and you girls."

I sighed, opening the door a bit more so she could get in.

"We are all in the backyard." I told her, walking to the back door. I could hear her following me.

I went straight to my mother, interrupting their conversation.

"Mum, Aunt Narcissa is here, and she wants to talk to us." I told her. Her eyes went wide, but she nodded.

"Excuse me." She mumbled, getting up. I motioned for Vivi to follow us, and gave my boyfriend a kiss on his head as I passed by, letting him know I was okay.

"Cissy." Mum greeted, settling down in the living room. Dora was already there, humming to a sleeping Teddy.

"Dromeda." Narcissa greeted back. "Thank you for lending some of your time." She smiled lightly. "Happy Birthday, Vivianna." She looked at my sister.

Vivi only nodded, sitting down next to me.

"I won't take too much of your time. I just wanted to come and... apologize. For everything." She started, looking at my mother. "I'm a coward." She admitted. "I let Bella order me around, let her do with my life as she pleased. I let her hurt my niece." She looked at Vivi, who cowered into my side. I had an arm wrapped protectively around her.

"I was scared of Bellatrix. I knew what she was capable of doing, and I let her take over. I was... I was scared of losing her too. I had already lost one of my big sisters." She looked at my mother. "I know we don't see eye to eye, but I have realized that it doesn't matter. I owe my son's life to Harry Potter; he saved Draco even though he didn't have to. He opened my eyes, showing me what I was missing out.

"I'm not stupid to think that you'll just forgive and forget, but I was wondering if... if we could start over? I need to know that we could still be family." She finished, her eyes a bit teary.

"Cissy." Mum started. "I know Bella was a big influence on you. She tried to get to me, too, but I was strong. You were always closer to her, so I thought you didn't care. I'm... I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'll... I'd like to start over. I've already lost so much; I don't want to lose you as well." She said. My mother was just like me, in that she could forgive easily.

"Thank you." Narcissa replied. "Vivianna, Isabella?" She looked at us. "I'm so sorry. I tried to help her, but I couldn't do much. I tried, I swear." She cried.

Vivi and I nodded our heads. If mother decided to forgive her, so would we.

"Nymphadora."

"Don't call me that." Dora said lowly.

"I'm sorry. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me one day." She whispered, getting up. "Thank you for your time. Dromeda, maybe we could... catch up? One day?"

Mum nodded. "Owl me." She mumbled.

Narcissa nodded, "I'll show myself out."

As the door closed, Mum let her tears fall down. Vivi and I went to her, but she just sat there for a while.

"I'll be upstairs. May I use one of the room?" She asked me.

"Of course, Mum. Why don't you stay here for the night, uh? You can have Vivi's room, she's bunking with me." I told her. She nodded, kissing all of us on the forehead before going upstairs.

Vivi, Dora and I discussed a few things about our short talk, but we all figured she was being genuine. Mother was her only sister now, and the four (well, five) of us were her only family left, apart from her husband and son.

Dee ended up staying as well, sleeping in the remaining guest room. Vivi and I went back outside, where everyone was still talking animatedly.

I resumed my seat with Edward, resting my head on his shoulder.

"She was being sincere." He told me. I just nodded, not knowing what to reply.

Slowly, the rest of the guests started to leave. Arthur and Molly went first, along with Bill and Fleur. Percy left with George, and Luna and her dad followed right after. It was just Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron now, left with my family.

"We'll see you tomorrow?" Harry asked, confirming our plans.

"Yes, tomorrow. How about one o'clock?" I retorted.

"Sounds good. Well, see you then." He said, and the four of them said their goodbyes before apparating.

We cleaned it up quickly before going to bed. Before I was able to fall asleep, Edward made me promise to go with him someplace in the morning. I groggily agreed, not knowing what I was actually agreeing on.

He woke me up at nine in the morning, telling me to dress comfortably. I did so lazily, still not fully awake.

He drove around for a while, maybe half an hour, before stopping near a park.

"I thought we'd recreate our meadow somehow." He answered my questioning look. "I found a pretty nice place here."

He put me on his back, and we ran through the trees, arriving quickly into a very beautiful place. It wasn't as magical as our meadow back in Forks, but it was still amazing. Flowers of all colors covered the place.

"It's beautiful." I whispered, smiling at my boyfriend. "But why are we here?" I asked.

He took a deep breath, looking me in the eyes before going down on one knee.

"Isabella Lyra, I love you with every fiber of my being. I want to be with you for eternity. I want to tie myself to you in every way humanly possible. Will you marry me?"

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_The thing with Narcissa is not fully covered, in case it looks weird._

_Hope you liked it, and please review!  
_


	13. Chapter 13

_New chapter! Faster than last time, like I promised =P_

_I hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling and S. Meyer own it all. All I own is Vivianna.  
_

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Chapter 13

"Bella?" He asked, looking at me expectantly.

I was speechless. I looked at my boyfriend with my mouth wide open in shock.

"Isabella?" He tried again, his face changing from expectant to dejected.

"Yes." I whispered. "Yes, I will marry you, Edward." I finally replied.

"Really?" His whole face lit up, his grin as wide as could be.

I nodded, smiling as well. He picked me up and spun us around, making me giggle loudly.

"I love you." He stated before kissing my lips fiercely.

"I love you, too." I replied once he let go.

He got a small velvet box from his pocket, opened it and took an antique ring out, setting it on my ring finger.

"It's beautiful." I told him, looking at it. It had one big diamond stone in the middle with two smaller ones on each side, on a white gold band.

"It was my mother's." He explained. I merely nodded, enchanted by the whole thing. I could not believe I was engaged.

"Edward?" I asked, motioning for him to sit down. "I am very happy that you proposed, but I need to ask you something."

He sat down next to me, taking my hand in both of his.

"Anything, my Bella."

I took a deep breath. I did not want to ruin the moment, but I had to ask this now.

"Does that... does that mean that you will change me?" I finally got the courage to ask. "I know your views of it, and you know mine. You know what I want, Edward. If we are to be married, I want to know for sure that you want it to last for eternity." I told him sincerely.

Edward had it in his mind that all vampires were monsters, and therefore did not have a soul. I did not believe it, but we both had agreed to disagree on it. I had asked on more than one occasion for him to change me, but that was still more out of sadness than love.

I didn't know where my sister was, and in a way I thought I'd be more helpful as a vampire. I was thankful that Edward refused to change me back then, because it would have been for all the wrong reasons, but now I knew for sure it was because of him.

And he didn't have an argument anymore. He didn't know I was a witch when I first asked him; he had thought I was a mere human, and so would miss out on a happy, human life. Now that he knew I was also supernatural, he couldn't argue with that. And I would find a way to prove he had a soul.

"Bella." He sighed. "You know I want to be with you, but I can't... I can't damn you like this."

"So what?" I replied back, a bit angry. "You'll marry me and stay with me until I'm old and dying, and then what? You'll go your merry way, find someone else to stay? If that's it, then I can't marry you, Edward." I reasoned.

"Isabella! How dare you even suggest I would be able to live without you? I would follow you, that's what I'd do." He said through clenched teeth.

"Right, so you'd find a way to get yourself killed, and break your whole family's hearts because you have to always be right, is that it?" I wiped the tears that formed. It made me even angrier to see I was crying; I blame my emotions being connected to my tear ducts.

"I don't have to always be right. I usually am, but that's because I know what people are thinking." He tried to persuade me.

"But you're wrong, Edward. You do have a soul. I will find a way to prove it to you. I just can't stand you disregarding my opinion like that. Will our relationship be always like this? You'll just disregard everything I say or do because _you_ are the one that's right?" I was sure my face was red now.

"I do not disregard your opinions. You just cannot convince me that I don't have a soul. I'm a monster, Bella. You know that. I've killed people." He said, his voice filled with sadness.

I got up from where I was sitting next to him, and started pacing in front of him.

"Well, guess what, Edward? I have killed people, too!" I lashed out. "I have seen evil, Edward. I have fought monsters. I have killed monsters. Does that make me a soulless monster? Uh?"

"Of course not, Bella." He groaned in frustration. "Don't ever call yourself that again." He raised his head. "Ever." He looked me in the eye.

"That's exactly how I feel every time you say that. Can't you see what that does to me? I hate it when you call yourself a monster. I _completely loathe_ it. But you do it anyways. You break my heart every single time. And yet, I can't do the same, I can't call myself a monster, even though both of us have killed before. Isn't that why you're a monster? Because you killed people?" I paced back an forth in front of him, my hands on my hips.

"Please, stop." He begged, looking down. "Please."

"Edward," I said softly, kneeling down in front of him. "Please, look at me." He did as asked. "Will you change me after our wedding? Yes or no?"

He took a deep breath, still looking me in the eyes. "I will."

"Do you promise?" I asked, tears once more falling down my face.

"Yes, I promise. You are right, I shouldn't have disregarded your opinion like that. Just please, don't ever call yourself a monster again." He pleaded.

"If you stop, I'll stop." I bargained.

"I will, I will. I just can't... you're my world, Bella. I love you so much. I can't lose you." He cried.

I looked at him shocked for a second. Edward was usually so strong; it was rare to see him so vulnerable.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him to me, as best as I could. He got what I wanted and nestled his head on my neck and shoulder, crying tearless sobs.

"I love you, too, baby. So much. I can't lose you, either." I brought my hand to his hair, massaging through his tresses. I kissed his head as I let him cry his frustrations out.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered once he calmed down. "I had no idea I was hurting you."

I kissed his hair once more, "you're forgiven."

He kissed my neck gently, sighing contently. "You're too good to me." He said. "I can't believe you agreed to marry me." He shook his head, lifting it and looking at me. "You're an angel." He whispered before kissing me.

We lost track of time as we kissed. Time just didn't matter. It was just Edward and I. My fiancé and I.

"We have to go." He broke our kiss. "We promised to help Harry, remember?"

I nodded before grimacing. I wonder how my overprotective friend will react to my news.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked. I just sighed and shook my head. It was nothing of importance.

"Let's go, my fiancé." I said, getting up and giggling.

His face lit up as he looked at me.

"My fiancée. My future wife. I love you." He said, bringing me to him once more and kissing me passionately.

He carried me until we reached the car, claiming it would be faster. I sure wasn't complaining.

We arrived back home at noon, which gave us an hour to get to Harry's. We had plenty of time.

As soon as we walked into the door, we were attacked.

"Congratulations." Alice squealed loudly, embracing me tightly.

"Alice, I can't breathe." I managed to choke out.

"I'm so happy for you, can I plan the wedding?" She asked in one breath.

"How about we talk about this later, okay?" I let her down. I still didn't know what I wanted for my wedding, but I did want my family involved. Alice would take over, and I really didn't want that.

"Congratulations." Esme said, giving me a gentle hug.

"Thank you."

The whole family congratulated us, Emmett almost cutting off my air supply with his bear hug. Rosalie gave me a light hug, which surprised me. It must have shown on my face, since she shrugged and smiled softly.

"Is it true?" I heard someone ask from the stairs. "Are you truly engaged?" Annie asked. Her voice wasn't sad, but it wasn't exactly exuding happiness either.

"Yes, it is. He just asked." I smiled at her, walking up the few stairs separating us. "What's wrong?" I asked gently, looking her over.

She shook her head. "It's nothing. Congratulations, Belly." She hugged me, but let go quickly. "There's some lunch for you in the oven. I'm just going to get ready so we can go to Harry's." She said, turning around and going up the stairs into her room.

I walked back down and went into the kitchen, not really sure about what was wrong with my sister. I ate quickly and went upstairs to change. My clothes had grass stains in it.

We took three cars, and reached Grimmauld Place pretty fast. Harry was waiting for us with Ginny and Ron.

"Where's Hermione?" I asked once we had greeted them all.

"She said she would be a bit late, and to start without her." Ron said.

I nodded, and got in. The rest of the family followed me.

"Wow, you've done a really good job so far." I looked around. It was mostly clean, and he threw out everything that looked old. "Think the guys will be able to deal with the shrew?" I asked, looking at the staircase.

"I sure hope so." Harry replied.

The vampires looked a bit puzzled, so Harry ripped off the cloth that was covering the painting. Sirius' mother started yelling "TRAITORS! BLOODSUCKERS! OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU FILTHY HALF-BREEDS!"

She screeched as I looked towards Emmett, laughing as soon as I saw his face.

"What the hell?" He muttered.

"She's glued to the wall. We've tried everything to get her down, but it seems she cast a Permanent Sticking Charm on it, which is impossible to undo apparently. We were hoping that with your strength you'd be able to take her down." Harry explained.

Emmett, Edward and Jasper walked forward, and the three of them were able to break the whole frame, but unfortunately the painting was still there.

"Wow!" Jasper whispered, seeing that not even their strength was able to tear the painting down. "That's some magic you got there." He said.

Harry then looked at me. "You know... it is a painting. Remember the Fat Lady? She was damaged." He whispered, so the painting wouldn't hear us. "We could burn it?"

I looked at him, and the wall. "Wouldn't it be easier to break the wall, and then burn it? Lessen the risk of catching the whole house on fire? And we'd make sure she can't escape to another painting."

Harry agreed. We put the cloth back in front of the painting. We didn't want her noticing what was going on so she couldn't escape into another frame.

Her screeches were finally silenced as I asked quietly for all the vampires to destroy the wall around the portrait as quickly as they could so she wouldn't escape.

They all looked at me as if I had gone crazy, so I explained they could jump from portrait to portrait inside the house.

The seven vampires positioned themselves so they could each break a part of the wall at the same time, and serve as support if anything happened. Alice and Rosalie were on their husbands shoulders to reach the higher part, and Esme and Carlisle were kneeling down to reach the lower part. Edward and Jasper were in one side while Emmett was in the other.

Alice looked down and nodded, a really loud noise echoed through the house, and Edward ran with the painting outside the house, breaking the spell so she couldn't go into any other painting inside the house.

Harry and I took care of setting it on fire, while Ron and Ginny made a scene dancing around the remains, yelling that the old shrew was finally gone. It was truly comical.

"They did it?" I heard someone squeal, reaching the backyard.

"Yes, Mione!" I replied, joining Ron and Ginny with their dance. "Hi!" We waved at her, smiling brightly.

"Oh, Merlin, what is that on your finger, Isabella?" She shrieked, running towards me and grabbing my left hand roughly. "Is this...?" She trailed.

I smiled, nodding. She squealed once more and hugged me. "I'm so happy for you!" She said, letting me go.

"Thanks, Mione."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Harry whined.

I just shrugged. "We had more pressing issues." I told them pointing towards the remains of the painting and scorched debris.

"You should have informed your best friends of this, Isabella." He looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Right, so you could go all big brother on my fiancé? No, thank you." I replied.

"Congratulation, Bella." Ginny smiled as she embraced me.

"Yeah, Bells, congrats." Ron said.

"Thank you." I smiled back. Harry walked towards me and gave me a hug.

"I really am happy for you, Bells." He whispered. I nodded and kissed his cheek as he let go.

I walked back inside, and heard four pairs of feet following me. Edward was inside already, away from the fire.

Esme was looking through the hole left in the wall, assessing the damage.

"It's not a support column, so it's easy to fix. Do you have spare bricks and cement?"

"There's no need, Esme." I said. Hermione stepped forward and with a wave of her wand had the wall reconstructed.

"Wicked!" Emmett exclaimed.

"Since there were still bricks and cement in the wall, I could just duplicate them and repair the hole. It wouldn't be possible to create it out of nowhere, though." Hermione explained. "It's just like our food. We can't create food. We can conjure them, increase the quantity of something you already have or transform it, but it cannot be created out of nothing."

"Why?" Jasper asked; they all seemed interested.

"It's one of the Five Principal Exceptions to Gramp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration." She tried to explain. "Or else no jobs or anything would be required. We would be able to just create money, food and build a house with magic, and our world would be chaotic. So we have to buy our food and earn our money."

They all nodded in understanding.

"Speaking of food, I'm starving." Ron said, patting his stomach.

"You're always starving, Ron." Hermione said fondly. I couldn't lie, it was still a bit weird to see them getting along, let alone dating.

"I'll make us something." I offered. "Is there anything in the kitchen, Harry?" He nodded, and I went down to the basement, where the kitchen was located. My sister followed me; she had been quiet since we got here.

"Vivi, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I asked her as I looked through the cabinets to find anything to make a snack.

"Nothing's wrong, Bella." She retorted. I sighed, turning to her with a pan in my hand.

"You and I will talk once we get home." I waved the pan in front of me for emphasis.

She rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. I went back to making grilled cheese for everyone as she sat down on the long kitchen table.

"Food's ready!" I called out loudly. Everyone trotted downstairs loudly. The vampires just sat down while I served my friends.

"Uhm, looks good, Bells." Harry said as he took a bite.

"Yeah." Ron agreed, his mouth full.

"Honestly, Ronald." Hermione reprimanded him. He just shrugged his shoulders and went back to eating.

I gave each one a glass of pumpkin juice, and sat down a plate for me so I could eat.

"Where's Kreacher?" I asked after swallowing a bite.

"Still in Hogwarts. I think I have to order him back here, but I'll finish redoing the house first. Don't want him going crazy like last time." He explained.

I nodded in agreement.

"So, now that the old lady is finally gone, what else is there to do?" I asked.

"Well, we need to clean all the rooms upstairs. Snape got in before the security measures were up, and he made a mess of everything, looking for a letter from my mother." Harry explained. "I didn't clean anything up. I don't know what to keep and what to throw away."

"We'll help you with that." Esme smiled at him. "How about we go upstairs? We'll start from the very top and make our way down. We'll throw away everything that looks broken or old, separate everything else. You can check the bags before we throw them out, so we don't accidentally throw something valuable." It made sense. Also, with their speed, everything would be done before sunset. It was only two-thirty in the afternoon.

Harry showed them all the rooms. Esme divided everyone in pairs, and set us all to work. I went with Edward, and Vivi since she was the only one left out, into the room us girls shared while staying with the Order.

We got everything out, leaving only the wardrobes and beds without the mattresses. Edward took them to the living room, where they joined about ten other older mattresses.

"Think we'll just repair all the wardrobes." Harry said, coming down the stairs with another mattress floating next to him. "And the beds. I'll buy new mattresses, and we can repaint the whole house."

I nodded, going back into the room we were cleaning. I waved my wand in front of the wardrobe, repairing it instantly. The beds were mostly dirty, not broken, so I cast a cleaning spell and they were done.

I went up another set of stairs, and saw that everything was already clean and repaired in there. At least six bags of rubbish were set aside, not counting the ones that Harry would keep. Our last clean up seemed so insignificant now.

Sirius' room was cleaned, but Harry asked for it to be left as it was. He just couldn't part with my cousin yet; it was the least he could do, he told me.

The house was completely clean by sunset, as I had predicted. It was pretty bare, since most stuff were thrown away. Harry would be spending the week with us, giving Esme ideas of what he wanted. It would give us time to catch up, and I would see more of my friends for a while.

We went home after I made everyone dinner. I directed Harry to a guest room, and then went into my room to shower; I was completely covered in filth.

I was done in ten minutes, so I just put some pajamas on and went downstairs; Harry and Vivi were still showering. I saw my fiancé sitting in the living room watching his brothers play Wii.

I sat down and cuddled next to Edward, sighing happily when he wrapped his arms around me.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, trying not to disrupt Jasper and Emmett.

I nodded, too tired to reply.

_'Just tired.' _I told him in my mind, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder.

He kissed my forehead and whispered, "rest."

I don't remember falling asleep or being carried to my bed, but I woke up a few hours later there, alone.

I groaned and turned to my other side, where I could barely make out Edward's silhouette, closing my eyes once more and falling into a dreamless sleep.

The next week passed by quickly. Vivi was still down, but she wouldn't tell me what was wrong, immersing herself into her studies once again.

An owl arrived the Monday after we cleaned Grimmauld Place, letting Vivianna know the date of her exams, and the times for the train.

Harry and Esme were gone most of the time, shopping around muggle London as well as in Diagon Alley. They went to Grimmauld Place at least three times this past week, working on making the place liveable once again.

Esme was truly happy to be able to help, and Harry would complain every night that she wouldn't let him pay for almost anything. I couldn't help but laugh when I told him every Cullen was like that, and it would do no good to argue with them; they always won.

The week after that we all helped Harry move into his home, while Vivi stayed at Mum's to study.

Harry didn't own much, because of the Dursleys, so it was rather quick. He would sleep in one of the rooms on the third floor; it was bigger than the ones on the first and second floor.

"I'm glad you stayed with us for a while, Harry. It was good to catch up and talk." I told him as I gave him a hug. "Have fun in your new house, and let me know if you need anything. You might want to get Kreacher back if you want to survive your summer." I hinted. It was a big house for just him, even though we'd be visiting him a lot. I knew he could cook a little since he had to do it at the Dursleys, so at least he wouldn't starve, but I still worried.

A week later, we were all walking through King's Cross train station. Vivi would be going to Hogwarts for her O.W.L.s and we all wanted to see her off. Exams would start tomorrow, and last for four days.

The train was set to leave, so we all wished her good luck. The vampires hugged her one by one. Mum was crying a bit as she hugged Vivi tight. Dora gave her a hug as well, while Teddy tried to give her a kiss, but just slobbered all over her cheek.

"Good luck, baby." I whispered as I hugged her. "You'll do great."

She nodded. "I love you." She whispered as I kissed her cheek.

"Love you, too." I replied as she got into the train, her rucksack with her.

I sighed as we walked back to the cars. I would miss my sister this week. We hadn't been apart since she came back, and I was feeling a bit panicky about not seeing her daily.

Edward did all he could to cheer me up and distract me. He asked me what I wanted for our wedding, when I wanted it and where. He wanted to make sure it was just as I wished for, not what Alice or anyone deemed appropriate.

I agreed with him; I did not want a fancy wedding. I could not say I didn't want a big one, because I knew quite a lot of people so inevitably my wedding would be big. I wanted it at Grandma Tonks' backyard. She had left the house to the three of us in her will, and Dora would be moving there once Teddy got older. I had already asked her if we could do it there, and her replied was, 'duh, it is your house, too, you don't need my permission.'

We talked color scheme and all, and Edward actually gave his opinion on everything, not leaving the decisions to myself. I would let Alice organize everything, but only after I had it all planned out.

The first week of June passed by in the blink of an eye, and soon we were back at King's Cross to pick my sister up. It was only Edward and I this time; everyone else was waiting home with a cake for her.

"Annie!" I waved as she disembarked. She ran to us with a smile, carrying her bag on her shoulder.

"Hi!" She squealed, hugging me tight.

"I take it that it went well?" I asked. Edward grabbed her bag from the floor where she had dropped it and slung it over his shoulder.

"Yes, it was easy." She smiled, "I'll get the results in a week. And then the first week of July I have to go back for the rest of the exams." She informed me.

I nodded, taking hold of her hand as Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders. The three of us walked quietly to the car.

"We'll all go hunting tonight." Edward told us. "We really need to go, it's been almost two weeks." I nodded. It had been a while since they last hunted.

"We'll be back in the morning."

"Okay." I replied.

That would be a good opportunity to get Vivi to talk to me.

It was really quiet when we arrived, and the lights were all out. When we got in, everyone yelled 'surprise', making Annie jump from shock.

"Hi, baby girl." Mum greeted her. "How did it go?"

"Good, good. I'll know in a week." She smiled, looking around. Harry, Ron, Mione, Ginny and George were here.

"George!" I exclaimed, running towards him. "So good to see you." I hugged him.

"You too." He replied, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "I was getting acquainted with the little tyke." He said, looking at Teddy, who had his hair as ginger as George's.

"Looks like he liked you." I smiled, picking my nephew up. "Do you like George, little guy?" He gurgled. "I'll take that as a yes." I chuckled as I kissed his chubby cheek.

The party went on for a while. The gang would spend the night at Harry's, and he asked me to go with them, but I had to decline.

"See you, soon." They waved as they all apparated from our backyard.

"We must go as well." Edward said. "It's a little ways away so we can find anything slightly edible."

"Okay." I whispered. "I love you." I reminded him.

"I love you, too, my Bella."

They got into two cars and sped off.

"It's just you and I now, Vivianna." I smiled at her. "Go shower and change and meet me in my room." I ordered.

She complied, and twenty minutes later we were both sitting down on my bed facing each other.

We started talking about trivial things, about her exams, and what she thought she had scored in them. She was looking a lot more carefree now, but I could still see the sadness underneath it all.

I decided to stop stalling and just ask her.

"You've been down ever since I told you I was engaged." I started. "What happened? Did I do something?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No."

"Then what is it? You know you can talk to me about anything. Is it because I'm getting married?"

"No... it's just, I can't lose you." She whispered. "You're going to be changed into a vampire, and I'm going to lose you. I don't want to let go." She confessed.

"Annie." I sighed. "Angel, you're not going to lose me. I'm going to look different, but that doesn't mean I won't still be your sister. I'll just be more durable." I said softly.

She looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Still, you'll be a vampire. You'll never die. And I will, but I don't want to. You know I fear death." She reasoned.

I could see where this was getting, and I was torn.

"It's a silly fear, seeing as I have killed people and have fought in a war, but I _am_ afraid of dying. You'll have the chance to live forever. I want that too. I want to be changed as well." She finally told me.

She did have a very weird fear of death. Every time anyone talked about dying, or anything similar, she would start panicking and sometimes even hyperventilating. It was never too bad, but it made us stop talking about anything death related in front of her, or as much as we could.

"Vivi." I started. "I don't want to lose you, either, you know that. I just got you back. I would be a hypocrite right now if I said I would not change you, because I argued with Edward about it the day he proposed.

"But I need you to think it through. You'll have your whole last year in Hogwarts to weigh your pros and cons. Do not make a hasty decision, or you may regret it later, okay? If, by the end of the school year, that is what you want, we'll talk again, got it?"

She nodded, looking relieved. "Thank you for not refusing it. I promise I will think about it carefully, and will give you the answer next year. I just can't stand thinking about life without you. Ever." She confessed.

"I can't think of life without you, either. I know Mum and Dora will be fine, but you – you were always the one I needed to protect. I love you, and thank you for telling me everything."

She chuckled.

"Thank you for listening. I was scared of your reaction, that's why I didn't tell you sooner. I love you, too, sissy."

I shook my head. "You know I'll always listen. I may not agree, but I'll never just shun you down. I promise you that."

She nodded, leaning forward to peck my forehead.

"Tired?" I asked. She nodded, closing her eyes.

I got up, turning the covers down so we could get in. I lay down in bed, and she did the same next to me.

"There is one more thing I wanted to ask." She said.

I nodded, telling her to continue.

"Will you teach me Occlumency?" She asked.

I looked at her a bit shocked.

"Sure, but why?"

"It's kind of unnerving to know that my every thought is being 'watched' by someone. Especially since he's your fiancé." She shrugged.

I chuckled. "I know the feeling. It is quite hard to fully master it, but if you're really focused on it, I'll teach you."

She smiled then, one of the first genuine ones since I had told her about my engagement.

"Thank you. I think I'm going to sleep now." She announced.

"Good night." I whispered, closing my eyes as well.

I woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. Not having Edward with me brought back memories, and I just couldn't go back to sleep.

I went into the kitchen to get myself a glass of milk, and when I got back, Vivianna was trashing wildly on the bed.

I ran to her; it seemed none of us were coping with our losses and nightmares well.

"Vivi, you're safe. You're safe. I'm here, angel, I'm here." I whispered to her, shaking her shoulder lightly to wake her up.

She sat up suddenly, gasping for air. Her eyes were moist with tears as she threw her arms around me.

"It was horrible. You were in the cellar instead of me, and Bellatrix killed you." She sobbed.

"It's not real, I'm right here." I calmed her down.

We both went back downstairs, and I handed her a cup of milk while I got another one for myself.

We both needed to work on our traumas before Hogwarts. I would hate to think about my sister not being able to sleep if they don't allow us to be together once school started. I had no idea how else to help her, and I feeling like a completely failure.

Sure that neither would get any more sleep, we set camp on the living room couch, the TV on some mindless show just for background noise as we lay down.

It sure would be a long night.

* * *

_I admit I have a strange fear of death. It makes me slightly ill whenever people talk about it; I must have gotten it from my grandma, she hates even thinking about it. I thought I'd give Vivi something from me, even if it is just a weird phobia. _

_I hope you like the drama, and remember that this Bella is different (thankfully) than Meyer's. She can stand up for herself and let her opinions known. I'm basing this Bella off the movies instead of the books - actually, give me your opinion on your review! Does anyone else think that the Bella in the movies is a lot bolder and not so easily manipulated as the one in the books? I think so. _

_Hope you liked this chapter, and please review! Pretty please with sugar on top!  
_


	14. Chapter 14

_New chapter up! Sorry for the slight delay. I'm working on two stories at the moment, and have to alternate the updates. Also, my grandpa got sick, and I was kindly volunteered by my mom to keep him company at the hospital - he couldn't be alone. So that unmotivated me a bit, but he's doing better now, and I updated my other story, which let me free to write this chap ;)_

_A little conflict going around the household. I mean, nine people living together, it's not always peaceful, right?_

_Hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivianna.  
_

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Chapter 14

June passed by quickly, and Vivianna was going back to Hogwarts soon for her exams. She had done amazingly well with her O.W.L.s, getting Outstanding in most of the subjects. She got an Exceeds Expectations in Potions, and a Passable in both Divination and History of Magic; she was glad though, because she wouldn't be forced to take those subjects again.

Due to the special circumstances, Vivi was able to take all her sixth years exams, even though she hadn't gone to one class. McGonagall was sure she could keep up, and Vivi didn't want to prove her wrong, so she spent every second she could studying.

We would practice her spells in the backyard; I had gone through all of it, and could help. Hermione, Harry and even Ron and Ginny volunteered to help her as well, and the six of us spent most of our free time practicing. It was good for me as well, so I could get reacquainted with my _witch_ side.

Edward understood, most of the time. I could see him getting impatient a few times, and I left Hermione helping Vivi while I spent some time with him. He wasn't usually a demanding guy, but I could see that he was suffering. Hopefully it would be better once all this was over.

Vivianna took to being jealous of Alice. She liked Edward just fine, and mostly didn't mind our relationship – she had confessed to me that sometimes she would feel a bit jealous, but mostly because I had someone that loved me unconditionally – but with Alice was different.

Alice called herself my best friend, and Vivianna didn't like it. At all. She claimed Alice didn't know me as well as she did, and that she was a bit too demanding.

I agreed that Alice didn't know me well, we'd known each other for only a year; I had lied about my true heritage for a third of it. Vivianna knew me her whole life, and we kept no secrets from each other.

I could feel that my sister was scared, though, and let it be shown through jealousy and all.

Alice wasn't really helping, though, trying to get my attention whenever possible. I didn't know if she was doing this on purpose, but she started calling me her best friend more frequently and in front of Vivi most of the time. It hurt to see Vivianna's face fall every time she heard it.

I was usually busy helping my sister study and practice, and I spent my free time with Edward. Alice kept bugging me to go _shopping_ with her, and I refused every time. She couldn't grasp the idea that I was not like her, and could not keep up with her.

Alice could not remember her human days, and she liked to use that to her advantage, but I had learned how to say no. She knew no bounds, and used every method available to get what she wanted. She could see the future, and manipulated it to play it her way.

At first, it was endearing how she wanted to spend time with me, and I didn't really mind her bossing me around and going against my wishes, but that was mostly because of my depressed state. I was thankful that she wanted to be my friend, despite everything.

I loved Alice, but she really needed to realize that my time was taken mostly by my family and my fiancé. Even though I did consider her family, I had more demanding issues at the moment, and she really wasn't helping me.

So I had decided that, after Vivi went back to Hogwarts so she could finally get done with her exams, I would sit down with the Cullens to talk to them.

I just hoped they would listen, and not get mad. Obviously, I was hoping for the best, but I knew it wouldn't be like that.

When we got home from King's Cross, everyone migrated to the living room. Edward sat down and put me on his lap, seemingly not wanting to let me be too far from him. I wasn't complaining, I needed his support at the moment. We had talked last night when he took me out to dinner, and said he understood what I needed to do.

I kept my mind undecided. Even though Alice was having trouble with her visions most of the time, I did not want to risk her knowing about our talk, so she could somehow turn into the victim.

"Bella, dear, would you like to start?" Carlisle brought my attention back to my vampires. Every couple was sitting together in some way, and I couldn't help but notice Jasper's hand subtly clutching Alice's shoulder.

"Yes, thank you." I smiled nervously. "I'm sure you all have noticed that my sister and I haven't been doing fine lately. We both have nightmares, and fear sometimes consumes us." I took a deep breath, and Edward started to gently rub my back in circles to calm me down.

"We don't want any professional help, from muggle or wizard doctors alike," I eyed Carlisle. "We are trying to cope with all we have been through; it is finally taking its toll on us." I admitted.

Edward brought me closer to him, letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

"Honey, are you sure you don't need help?" Esme asked. She looked really concerned for us, which was why I did not scoff.

"I'm sure, Esme. We've gone through a lot since we were children. Our whole lives were mostly dominated by fear. Voldemort may have had been gone for a while, but he had left his message, his followers. My aunts and uncles were part of it. Do you have any idea what's it like to know that, one day, your own aunt could just show up on your doorsteps and kill you? Never mind that she was locked up in Azkaban. It terrified me."

I took another deep breath.

"Anyways, the reason I called you all here is because I wanted to ask you to be patient. My time will be mostly dedicated to my sisters, and my fiancé. I'm not trying to be rude, mean, or anything, but you have no idea just how much it hurt to have my sister taken from me. We're a bit too dependent on each other, and not knowing where she was left pretty deep scars on me.

"I'm not purposefully ignoring any of you. I want you all to be a part of my world, and I want you to learn everything you can about it, but I may not be around much to teach you. I know we all live in the same house, but I just... I don't know, I want to help my sister so badly." I held some tears in. "I know you want to help us, and I couldn't love you more for it, but I know her best. She knows me best. We both don't want to see a shrink, or a healer; I'm sure they have their hands full with people who _really_ need their help."

I took a deep breath, trying to find the strength to say what I needed to say.

"Alice." I looked at her. "I love you, I really do, but you're not helping me. Vivi is already feeling down because of the kidnapping, and other issues; she can't have many more changes in her life right now. She's... she's always been my best friend." One tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek. "She feels threatened when you call yourself my best friend." I tried to explain gently; I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"She's my priority right now. She knows me better than anyone else, and I know her. We need each other to heal, and you pushing me into doing things truly isn't helping. I don't want to hurt your feelings, though apparently I'm already doing it." I stated as I saw Jasper focus solely on his wife.

"I just need you to give me some space. I _really_ don't like it when you try to force me into doing something you know I don't like; especially if you start guilt tripping me. You have to learn how to take no for an answer, Alice. You are really hurting me, and my sister, with this." I said honestly.

I hated making her feel like that, but she really needed to learn that. I didn't mind it once in a while; I was stubborn and sometimes argued my way into things, but she did it every time she wanted something. There was no middle ground, and I couldn't let it go on like that.

"I don't know if you're doing this on purpose, but every time you say you're my best friend is when Vivi is around or can hear us. It hurts to see her crestfallen face, Alice. I know you didn't mean to hurt her, but please, please refrain from doing that."

I closed my eyes, taking another deep breath to stop the tears from falling. When I opened them, I was startled. Alice was so angry, and it was directed at me. I had never seen her like that.

"Fine. Whatever you want, your majesty." Alice seethed. "Don't come crying to me when she finally gets fed up with you." She spat out, getting up and running through the front door.

I started crying, no longer trying to hold it in. Jasper got up, probably to go after his wife.

"Jasper." I whispered through my tears. "I'm sorry." I said sincerely.

"I know, Bella. It's not your fault. I'll talk to Alice." He smiled at me before walking out the door as well.

Edward held me closer, kissing my temple and wiping my tear away.

"I'm so sorry, everyone." I mumbled. "I didn't want to hurt anyone, but I couldn't stand seeing my sister like that."

"She was doing it on purpose." Edward informed me. "Alice, I mean."

I looked at him. Would she really?

"Why?" I asked him, dreading the answer.

"That is something you should ask her." He replied.

I nodded, not really wanting to know the truth right now.

"We understand what you are saying, Bella." Carlisle said. "And we'll help you in any way we can. We all love you, and want you to get better." He smiled sincerely my way.

"Thank you, Carlisle. Thank you for understanding." I sniffed. "Well, that was all I wanted to say." I told them.

Emmett got up and sat down next to me. "Don't worry, little sis. We'll do everything we can to get you both better. I promise."

He gently pulled me from Edward's lap into his own, and hugged me. I felt him kiss my head once. "Thanks, Em. That means a lot." I mumbled into his shirt.

He put me on my feet, and motioned for Rosalie with his hand. She got up, taking the hand he offered and looked at me.

"It'll get better, Bella." She said, smiling slightly. I nodded as they both walked up the stairs.

Carlisle and Esme pulled me into a hug. Esme kissed my temple, a gesture that reminded me of my own mother.

Edward handed me a cup of hot chocolate, which he had probably done while Emmett had me. I took it gratefully from him. It was a chilly night, even though it was summer, and I needed something sugary to help me through.

He sat with me in the living room while I slowly sipped my drink. He kept his eyes on the TV, most likely trying to give me some privacy; he knew I didn't like it when anyone just watched me eat or drink.

When I was finally done, he guided me to our bedroom. I had a quick shower, putting on some pajamas before returning, only to find Edward already in bed.

"Can you cast that warming spell like that time?" He asked. It had been a while since we had laid in bed together. My sister was usually sleeping with me, to rid both of us from our nightmares.

I got my wand from my discarded jeans pocket, and pointed it at me, casting the spell silently. I had gotten better at it after the battle, and got it right on the first try.

I immediately made my way towards him, setting my wand down on my bedside table, and snuggling close to my fiancé. He caressed my hair and kissed me softly once. I returned it, and soon we were making out.

He was very careful with his hands, not taking them off my hair so he wouldn't accidentally crush me, but I didn't have to worry about anything. Very deliberately he moved one hand to my hip, barely applying any pressure. My hands went from his neck to his waist, holding him to me.

It was unusual for him to let go, he was usually so uptight, so I was making the most of it.

When I could no longer breathe, he moved his lips to my jaw, peppering it with soft kisses that I barely felt while I caught my breath.

"Wow." I whispered, bringing my hands up and resting them on his face.

"Wow indeed." He replied, stopping his ministrations and caressing my cheek with his hand. "You're so beautiful." He whispered, leaning forward to kiss my forehead, and then my cheeks, my nose and lastly my lips once more.

I was so into the kiss that I lost control of my 'power', and my hair turned bright red. When I was a child, the color of my hair usually indicated my mood; right now bright red could only mean one thing.

"I like it." He said, twirling a streak of my long hair in his fingers. He brought me to him so I was resting my head on his shoulders. I looked up and pouted; I didn't want it to end.

He chuckled. "You underestimate my self-control, Bella."

I sighed, knowing he would not give in. At least not for the moment. After he proposed, and we had that talk, our relationship seemed so more open. We talked to each other more about our troubles and fears. It helped us to understand the other better, and it made me so much happier.

"Okay." I agreed. He looked at me shocked, and it was my turn to chuckle. "Baby, I know you, and right now I'm respecting your wishes. We really need to talk about it all, though. But not now." I finished, snuggling closer to him.

He pulled the cover up and tucked it right under my chin, kissing my forehead and wrapping his arms around me.

"I love you." He said. I said it back, and closed my eyes. I would worry about everything tomorrow.

The house was extremely quiet the next day. Alice and Jasper still weren't back, and I was feeling guiltier than ever. The others were giving me space, and I was grateful for that.

Edward, sensing I wasn't feeling comfortable, took me out for the day. We walked around London for a while, enjoying the cloudy day. It was July, and summer was here full on, so cloudy days were a bit rare nowadays.

The chill from last night was truly gone, giving way to heat waves. It was absolutely sweltering, and any sort of clothing I wore clung to my body. I couldn't really cast the reverse of the warming spell, or else it would look really suspicious.

We had lunch – well, I had – in a little bistro in downtown London, before we took the subway so we could go to Diagon Alley.

His eyes lit up like last time, and he looked around amazed once again. I noticed some shops were fixed, and their owners were back. I waved at Mr Fortescue, and decided to make my way to Ollivander's.

"Ah, Miss Tonks." Ollivander greeted me as we walked in. "And should I assume you are one of the vampires that helped our school?" He directed the question at Edward.

"Edward Cullen, sir." My fiancé introduced himself.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cullen." Ollivander replied.

"We won't take long, Mr. Ollivander." I said, taking a step forward. "I just wanted to say thank you. For helping my sister, back in the... in the cellar." I finished in a whisper.

"She helped me, too, Miss Tonks." He smiled. "She truly is a gifted witch, and I am sure you are one as well, seeing as you're here."

"Thank you." I took his compliment. "Well, I really just wanted to thank you for that, and for Annie's new wand, too. I can assure you it was already put to good use." I smiled.

"I am very glad." He bowed his head.

"We'll see you soon. I'll bring her by." I promised. He smiled and nodded, and we bade him goodbye.

"So that's the wandmaker." Edward said once we left his shop. I just nodded, taking hold of his hand and dragging him towards George's shop. Well, I tried to drag him, but didn't manage; he got the meaning and walked with me.

"Hey George." I greeted him. The store was full of school-age people, and his assistant had her hands full trying to restock the shelves.

"Belly-bear!" He exclaimed, smiling. He put his pointer finger upward, signaling for me to give him a minute as he went back to explaining something to what looked like a thirteen-year-old wizard.

He gave me a hug once he was free and asked what I needed.

"Maggie and Mia need more food." I smiled. He nodded, and went somewhere, returning five minutes later with a few packages.

"That enough?" He asked.

I nodded. "We're going to come back soon to buy our school supplies. I'll get more then." I informed him. "How much do I owe?" I asked, going through my coin bag.

"Nothing." He said.

I sighed, "George."

"Fine, I can have a knut."

I shook my head, handing him five sickles. "Take it." I glared at him.

He laughed but nodded, taking my money. We said our goodbyes, and I 'dragged' Edward out. He had stayed in the corner near the doorway, and just told me he didn't want anyone to see him at the moment. He had heard in the minds of many wizards and witches that they all wanted to take a look at the famous vampires that had helped our community, and he didn't want to get swarmed by people.

We stopped by Flourish and Blotts so I could pick up a few books I needed on trauma. I was going to ask Carlisle for a few of his medical books, so I could research on my condition, and Vivianna's as well.

I had a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron before we left to go back home. It was night, and not as hot as it was before, so Edward and I decided to walk back home.

Half way through, I started feeling tired. We had been walking for most of the day, and my legs were cramping, not to mention my feet were protesting inside my shoes.

"Are you okay, Bella?" He asked, noticing I had slowed down considerably.

"My feet and legs hurt." I told him. There was no point in lying to him, he would see right through me.

He turned his back to me and crouched slightly. "Hop up." He said.

Sighing, I did what he asked, and he got up. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and crossed my feet over his waist. He held my legs under my knees to stabilize me, and we were back to walking.

I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thank you." I sighed, turning my head and kissing his cheek. I felt him smile.

"Anytime, my love." He replied. "Thank you for telling me right away you were tired."

He knew my tendencies to downplay everything.

"Do you think Alice will forgive me?" I asked in a small voice as he walked.

"You are the one that needs to forgive her, Bella, not the other way around."

"But I hurt her." I stated.

"No, she hurt you. She knew exactly what she was doing, sweetheart. And she's being petty right now." He said.

I sighed. Things were so complicated right now. All I wanted was to get better and help my sister, and now I got my vampires in a rift.

"I didn't want to cause any problems." I mumbled.

"You're not. She should understand, seeing as her husband is a war veteran. You can't blame yourself for her decisions, my Bella." He tried to soothe my nerves.

"What aren't you telling me?" I tried to force a response out of him. I knew he would not tell me; he believed he already invaded everyone's privacy by listening to their thoughts, he didn't think it fair to tell anyone about them.

"You know I won't say, Bella. If I didn't have my mind reading ability, I wouldn't know either, so it's not fair for her. Or for you. Do you really want me to tell you and then we're both wrong?"

It was a low blow, but I knew he was right. If he had told me, I would assume things; he was only able to read what was going through their minds at the time. What if he didn't know her reasons, and I assumed the worse? It would hurt us more.

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise not to badger you about it anymore." I whispered.

"We will help you get better. I know you asked us to try not to, but I cannot stay away and let the love of my life and her little sister deteriorate right in front of my eyes. I can help, and I won't take no for an answer." He said, his tone of voice letting me know he would not let it go.

I sighed, nodding against his shoulder. I didn't want to show it on the outside, but I was absolutely thrilled that he loved me enough to do that for me. I had so much baggage, and still he didn't run away.

When we arrived home, he took me straight to our room, and sat me down in bed. He knelt in front f me, unlacing my shoes and taking them off. I let out a loud sigh of relief.

He even massaged them for a while, which absolutely helped me relieve some of the tension. I announced I was going to take a shower, and relaxed even further when the hot water hit my shoulders.

I came back into the room a lot more relaxed. Edward smiled at me as he saw I felt better.

"Would you like to go talk to Carlisle now? He's in his study." asked Edward.

I nodded, and he guided me to the first floor, to a door right next to the living room.

Carlisle had most of his books shipped to London before we moved in. They had arrived a few days after us, and Carlisle was able to organize his library once again.

"Come in." I heard him say as Edward knocked gently on the door. "Bella, Edward, what can I do for you?" He smiled kindly; Carlisle didn't have an ounce of evil in his bones.

I looked at him, not knowing how to ask. Would I seem weak for _asking_ for help just a day after I had basically told them to give me space? I sighed, admitting to myself that yes, I was weak, and yes, I needed his kind of help right now.

"Do you have any books on how to deal with traumatic experiences?" I bit my lip, looking down. I was feeling ashamed for having to ask his help, that was for sure.

"I may have a few, yes. Would you like to borrow them?" He asked kindly.

"Please?" I made it sound like a question, I was nervous.

He walked to one of his shelves and read a few book spines, taking a big tome out before walking across the room, getting another one and handing it to Edward. It looked like I wouldn't be able to hold their weight, and my wand was still upstairs.

I thanked him, and walked back upstairs, Edward trailing behind. I grabbed my wand from my purse, taking out the books I had bought along with it.

I got comfortable in bed and brought all five books near me. Carlisle's books were bigger and more detailed, so I started with them. I got the first one, pulling it to me. It really was heavy. I read through the table of contents, to see if there was anything relevant. I found three different topics, so I marked the chapters with pieces of paper and moved on to the second book, doing the same thing.

I moved on to the magic books. The first one was about traumatic experiences and how to erase your memories from it. I decided on not using it unless nothing else worked. Tempering with someone's memory was not something that should be taken lightly, and I was not qualified enough to perform most spells in the book without serious consequences.

The second one was really useful; it had different potions that could help. Potions that made you sleep with no dreams, ones that helped you relax, and stronger ones like the one to prevent psychotic behavior.

The last one I bought would teach us how to clear our minds, and relaxation techniques, which were very useful when you wanted to learn Occlumency, like Vivi did.

I spent the rest of the week reading them. Edward had read them all in two nights, and was helping me understand everything better.

"I thought you went to Medical school?" I asked while he read through one of the chapters I had bookmarked; he wanted to get all facts straight before trying to explain to me what I didn't understand.

"I did." He looked up, smiling crookedly my way. "But I barely went over psychology. It didn't really interest me. I mean, I could read their minds, and that made me understand the human minds better than I actually wanted." He winked.

"But you're helping me?" I asked. If he didn't like the subject, why would he put himself through it?

"Bella. It's you." He said as if it were obvious. I just looked at him. "Didn't I promise I would help you with anything?"

He closed the small distance between us and kissed me softly. "I love you, isn't that enough reason?" He asked.

I just nodded, glancing at his lips before looking him in the eyes. "Thank you." I whispered, kissing him once more.

We focused on our studies, and I made a list of supplies we would need for the potions I deemed easy enough to make, or the ones I was sure I wouldn't mess up and turn us into dogs instead of just relaxing us.

I didn't hear from the Cullens much. I bumped into Esme a couple of times, and we talked a bit, but never about what had happened. Carlisle helped me with my research, but we didn't really talk about it.

Emmett and Rosalie wanted to explore the city, but the sun was out almost every day, and so they had to stay in. Jasper and Alice hadn't returned yet, and I was getting more worried about her. Did I really hurt her that much?

A few days after starting my research, I had a notebook full of scribblings and tips about what could be done to help my sister, and by extension, me. I just hoped she would agree to it.

Friday finally arrived, and Edward and I were once again making our way to King's Cross to pick my sister up. When I first saw her get off the train, I gasped quietly. I could notice the dark bags under her eyes, indicating lack of sleep.

I took a deep breath and went to greet her. She started crying as soon as she saw us, and I had to hold her to me so she wouldn't colapse. She was exhausted.

Edward picked her up while I got her bag, and he carried her towards the car. He lay her down on the back seat. I hesitated for a moment before following her, laying her head on my lap so we could both fit. Edward sent me a reassuring smile, and got into the driver's seat, taking off.

Vivi was asleep almost instantly. I kept playing with her hair, knowing the motion would sooth her.

Seeing her like this broke my heart.

So I made a promise to myself.

We would get better, and I would do my best for it to happen before school started.

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_Like it? Hate it?_

_Please, please can I get a review? The lack of reviews is really making me sad :(  
_


	15. Chapter 15

_New chapter!_

_**Before anyone can say anything, I'm going to warn you that I do have the permission from A E Giggle to use her idea, so please, PLEASE, don't go bothering her about me stealing it. I asked even before I started writing this, and she said it was no problem, so please don't accuse me of anything. If you have read her stories, you'll know which idea I have used. If you haven't read them, I reccomend you do, because they're brilliant. They're called The Secret Keeper and The Wisdom Seeker.**_

_Now on with the story. _

_Discliamer: J. K. Rowling and S. Meyer own it all. All I own is Vivi.  
_

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Chapter 15

Vivi woke up the next morning looking better, but the dark circles under her eyes were still very visible. We were still laying in bed, both staring at the ceiling.

For anyone outside, it would look just like two people sharing a silent moment, but it was never like this for us. We both knew we were just trying to gather enough courage to start talking.

"Why do you have so many books on your bedside table? Surely you're not reading all of them?" She asked.

"Research." I replied, eyes glued to the ceiling. She turned on her side, propping her body with her elbow and looked at the titles over my shoulders.

"About what?"

"Trauma." I whispered.

"Why?" She asked. She knew the reasons, maybe she just needed the reassurance that I was there to help.

"To help us both, Vivi. Tell me, did you sleep at all during the week?" I asked, turning my body so I could look at her.

"I got a couple of hours. I was alone in my room, and sometimes I would hear things and then I wouldn't sleep." She confessed. "So I spent most nights studying. Sleeping brought unwanted memories, and I didn't want to relieve them."

I tucked some of her blue hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. I'm going to do everything in my power to help you, you know that, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "I know, sissy. Just please don't replace me." One tear escaped her eyes.

"Replace you? Annie, you're my baby sister. I could never replace you. Who else knows me better than I know myself and is not afraid to push my buttons?"

She giggle lightly, but it was short lived. "I'm scared you'll get tired of trying to help me get better. I hate feeling weak, and I hate that I'm not even able to sleep if you're not there with me. What's going to happen once school starts? When you get married? I don't want to be like this.

"I need you to help me. I don't know what else to do. I'm so lost, and I feel jealous all the time, and of the stupidest things, and I hate it."

"Vivianna." I called her attention, noticing she was almost hyperventilating. "I won't get tired, baby. I'll do all I can to help you. I feel so powerless when I see you like this."

She flung an arm around me and hugged me. It was awkward since we were both laying down, but I got the meaning.

"Why was Alice so mean?" She asked. "She knows I'm your sister and I know you better. I didn't like it when she kept saying she was your best friend. She's not. I don't want things to change so much anymore. I can't take any more changes in my life right now." She cried.

"I don't know, angel. I talked to Alice and told her to stop; I could see it was hurting you. She got mad and ran off and I have only seen her once since then." I told her the truth.

"I'm sorry." She wailed. "I didn't want you to fight with Alice over me. I just wanted her to stop."

"It's okay. You're my priority right now." I said. "We're going to get better."

She nodded, getting up.

"I'm going to take a shower." She announced, wiping her tears away with her hands. "Can we go visit Mum and Dora?"

"Sure, that's actually a pretty good idea. It's been a while since I saw them." I smiled, getting up as well. I had showered the night before, so I just changed into jeans and a shirt, brushing my hair and putting it up in a ponytail.

I went downstairs to ask Edward to drive us, and noticed Alice sitting down on the living room couch. She had probably heard all we had said upstairs, and I felt bad. We hadn't talked about it yet, and I had no idea how to approach the subject.

She was thoroughly ignoring me at the moment. I didn't know what to do. Should I apologize? She was the one that started acting strange, but I was the one who brought it up. Ugh, this was so frustrating.

I ignored her for the time being, going into the kitchen to make some french toast. Vivi came down a few minutes later and we both dug in quickly.

"Edward?" I called softly after taking a bite of my breakfast. I had no idea where he was, but he would be able to hear me perfectly.

"Yes?" He walked into the kitchen, slightly frightening me.

"Don't do that." I scolded him lightly. He never made a sound when he walked, and more than often made me jump.

"Sorry." He didn't look sorry at all, though. "What do you need, love?" He asked, sitting down on the stool next to mine.

"We wanted to go see our mum, could you take us?" I asked, batting my eyelashes just for the fun of it.

He chuckled. "You know I can. You don't need to release your charms on me." He winked.

I giggled. Getting him riled up was half the fun, even though I knew he'd do almost anything for me.

"I know you like it when I do that." I winked back at him, taking a bite of my french toast. He came over to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind, resting his chin on top of my head.

"I love everything about you." He whispered, looking down. I swallowed my toast before looking up, batting my eyes again and pouting.

He kissed my pout away lightly before gently ordering me to finish my breakfast. I ate quickly, his arms still wrapped around me.

Vivi smiled softly as she ate, not saying anything about my being openly affectionate with my fiancé. She finished quietly and soon the three of us left.

Mum's house wasn't too far away, and we didn't get much traffic, so we arrived in fifteen minutes.

"Call me when you want me to pick you up." Edward whispered, handing me a mobile phone. I looked at him with an eyebrow raised in question. "It's yours."

I just sighed and shook my head, used to his antics, and taking the phone. I kissed his waiting lips quickly before exiting the car and joining Annie in front of the door. She opened the door and I waved my goodbye to Edward before following her in.

"Hey, Mum!" I heard Vivi call out as I closed the door behind me.

"Girls!" I heard Mum exclaim, her arms open as she walked from the living room. She quickly put both of us into an embrace, kissing our cheeks before releasing us. "It's so good to see you. Vivianna, how was your week? The exams?" She asked, guiding us both to the room she had just vacated.

"It went fine, Mum. The results will be in in a week or so; Professor McGonagall said they'd arrive along with the owls with our school letters." Vivi explained.

We sat down and Mum continued to bombard us with questions. It felt great to be away from the tense environment I had created back at the Cullen's house, and I was so relieved that I answered every question thrown my way with no complaints.

"Wait, where's Dora?" I asked after about fifteen minutes and no sign of my older sister.

"She had to take Teddy to St Mungos for a check-up or something, they should be back in time for lunch." Mum told us.

My nephew was going to be four months old soon, and I missed him. I was really sad that I wouldn't be able to see him for a while, since I'd be in Hogwarts for most of the year. I would miss his first birthday.

Thoughts of Hogwarts had me distracted, and I barely paid attention to their conversation.

Vivi and Mum did most of the talking then, and I would give my opinion if it was asked. My mind kept going back to how I had left things back home.

Should I talk to Alice? It seemed she wouldn't be making a move anytime soon, and I really hated all the tension around the house.

"Mum?" I asked, probably interrupting something she and Vivi were talking about, but not really caring for the time.

"What is it, baby? You look so... hurt." She said.

I sighed, taking a deep breath before asking, temporarily forgetting that my little sister was in the room with us.

"If someone hurt your little sister, not intentionally, and when you called them out on it they got mad at you, what would you do?" I dropped my gaze to my sneakers, finding them pretty interesting at the moment.

"Oh, honey. What happened? Who said what to your sister to make you feel like this?" She leaned against Vivi to brush her thumb over my cheek, making me look at her.

She was pretty protective of us, but she knew we could take care of ourselves. She also liked to have all the facts laid out for her before making decisions or giving her opinion on something, and now it was exactly what I needed.

So I told her about Alice and Vivi, not really caring that my sister was right beside me. She would put in a word or two, but mostly stayed silent.

When I was done, Mum smiled sadly at me.

"Isabella," she sighed. "It seems Vivi wasn't the only one feeling jealous. Alice was also feeling threatened and lashed out. She was wrong when she tried to hurt Vivi, but maybe you should have taken her aside and told her to stop, and not say it in front of everyone else."

"Mum, there are no secrets in that house. They hear everything, and even if I had talked to her privately, she would've told Jasper, Edward would know instantly, and Esme would demand someone tell her why Alice had stormed off like that. It was just easier." I tried to explain.

"Even so, baby, it would have given both of you some semblance of privacy."

I knew she was right. I just didn't want to admit it yet.

"But how do I fix this? I hate that everyone's tense when they walk around us in the house. It's driving me crazy, and it doesn't look like she's going to apologize anytime soon." I vented.

"You were both in the wrong, Isabella Lyra." Oh, full name, she meant business. "Be the bigger person and apologize, instead of waiting around for her to do so. You're hurt and guilty and I hate to see you like that." She confessed.

I nodded my head, thoroughly being reprimanded by my mother. She made sure to make me feel awful about things so I would feel even guiltier and then apologize. I couldn't say her ways weren't effective, though.

I mulled over what she said, letting Vivi and Mum go back to what they were talking about.

Dora was home an hour later, bringing a green-haired baby with her.

"There's my favorite nephew!" I exclaimed, getting up and almost snatching him from my sister's arms as I hugged him close. "I missed you." I smiled at him, kissing his chubby cheek loudly, making him giggle.

"Right, and I'm what? A bad case of dragon pox?" Dora snorted.

"No, you're my favorite big sister." I grinned cheekily back at her. "And being my sister makes you annoying, so I prefer to ignore you for the moment. My nephew can't talk, I'm sticking with him right now." I winked.

She laughed, not really caring that I called her annoying, and went into the living room to greet our little sister.

"Your Mummy thinks she's so funny, doesn't she?" I joked with Teddy. His big, blue eyes were staring back at me, probably wondering what in the world this weird person was doing. "Yeah, I know, Teddy. It runs in the family, though, so I'm sorry to say you'll be just like us."

He giggled then, his toothless mouth wide in a smile as I rubbed my nose against his tiny one.

"Don't corrupt my son, Isabella." Dora yelled from the kitchen; I hadn't even noticed her walking past me.

"I'm not." I rolled my eyes, walking into the living room and sitting back down next to Vivi.

"Hey, little guy." She greeted him, taking his hand in hers. "I missed you."

He grabbed her pinky finger with his whole hand, squeezing it as he smiled.

"I think that means he missed you, too." Mum chuckled, getting up and walking to the kitchen.

Mum had lunch ready for us half an hour later, and we all ate and talked loudly. It was usually how we behaved; Dad was always silent during meals, so that part of our lives didn't change much since his death.

We kept arguing back and forth about some new potions Mum had read about, and how they were ineffective.

"Like love potion, they don't make you fall in love with the person, just ingrain it in your brains that you are infatuated with them. This new potion is just like that, it just creates an illusion of calmness, but once you stop taking it, it'll all come back ten times worse. It's not worth it." Mum stated.

Dora then went to say that if the person could have any semblance of calmness for a while, maybe they'd be able to find the cure for whatever it was that got them the way they were, so the potion worked.

I didn't know with whom I should agree. So I kept my mouth shut and just watched both of them argue back and forth. Once they realized what they were doing, they both stopped talking and started laughing.

We continued to discuss things throughout our meal, talking animatedly when the subject was going back to Hogwarts. I was so happy that I would be able to take my N. E. W. T. s and be done with school. That meant that, if I wanted, I would be able to find a job among the wizarding community.

It was dark when I decided to call Edward to pick us up. We had spent a very nice day with our mother, but Teddy started to cry an hour ago and we couldn't find out what was wrong with him, so Dora would be taking him back to St Mungos along with Mum.

They left almost immediately. Teddy's cries were of pain, and it was breaking my heart to hear him, so I told Mum we would lock up everything so they could leave, and to owl us when they knew what was wrong with him. I tried calling Edward once more, but he didn't pick up.

I called Emmett next, but he also didn't pick up. I tried everyone in the family, including Rosalie and Alice, but no one answered. I was starting to get worried.

"Vivi, no one's picking up. Should we take a taxi or should I try to take you by Side-Along Apparition?" I asked.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I got the test while I was in Hogwarts. I can apparate now." She smiled.

"You passed?" I looked at her shocked.

"You being shocked about it is insulting, sissy." She mocked me.

"Sorry." I blushed. "I didn't know you would take the test so soon." I confessed.

"Yeah, McGonagall said I could when I took the first exams and all, so I took it. It's not that hard." She shrugged her shoulders. "Can we go now?" She smiled.

"Aim for our backyard." I reminded her.

She nodded, and we both closed our eyes, taking a deep breath before apparating.

We both landed smoothly on our backyard a few seconds later. Vivi grinned smugly, probably proud of herself for not splinching or anything.

I could hear loud laughter when I approached the back door, and raised my eyebrow suspiciously. Were they all purposefully ignoring my calls?

I looked back at my sister, but she just shrugged her shoulders. I warily opened the door, and the laughter got even louder. Once I reached the doorway to the living room, I stopped.

"There she is!" I heard Edward's voice. "The love of my life."

I couldn't be sure, but his speech seemed a bit slurred.

"My Bella. She's a witch, y'know. But not in a bad way, in the literal way." He giggled.

My fiancé, the brooding, quiet vampire, _giggled_.

Cautiously, I walked inside, gasping loudly from what I saw.

All the Cullens looked like they were drunk. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I rubbed them hard with the heels of my palms, blinking a few times for good measure, but still there they were.

Emmett and Jasper were sitting on the floor, and Rosalie was skipping around, dancing to something that was playing in her head. Esme and Carlisle were sitting on one of the couches, heads close together as they seemed to talk quietly.

I couldn't see Alice anywhere.

"That's my little sister in there." I heard Emmett's booming voice as he pointed at me. "And my little sister's little sister. Hey, are you my little sister, too? Uh, never thought of it this way." He rambled, his face taking a pensive look.

Vivianna was holding in her laughter as I looked around the living room in shock.

"What the bloody hell happened here?" I finally blurted out.

"It's all Emmett's fault." Jasper slurred, punching Emmett's arm. I noticed him holding onto a bottle, so I marched to him and took it from his grasp. "Hey!" I heard him protest, but I ignored him.

"Dragon blood." I informed Vivi. I knew Emmett had bought two bottles of it, but I had no idea of what would happen if they drank it in excess.

"Are they really drunk?" She whispered to me.

"Secrets don't make friends." I heard Rosalie exclaim, stopping her prancing, and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

Vivi and I doubled over in laughter. I could not believe that my vampires were actually drunk.

"It's not very nice to laugh at others, Bella." Esme reprimanded quietly. It seemed she was the 'quiet drunk', even though her eyes were shining with mischief.

She got up and came towards us, hugging me close to her. I had no way of fighting it, so I let her. "I love you like a daughter, Bella. And as so I should discipline you. But I don't do that. You'll know what I'm talking about when you have kids of your own."

I tried to hold in a chuckle, but it escaped. She knew vampires couldn't have children, why was she suggesting I would have kids to discipline one day?

"Bells, don't laugh at us." Carlisle wagged his finger as he tried to reprimand me as well, but he got fascinated by the movement, and stared at his own hand for a while, forgetting all about me.

Esme let go of me, only to launch herself onto my sister, repeating that she loved Vivi like a daughter, and that it wasn't nice to laugh at people, before going back to Carlisle.

"Bella, my Bella. I love you." Edward approached me then, throwing an arm around my shoulders and bringing me close to him, slobbering all over my forehead as he tried to kiss it. He was definitely a 'loving drunk'. "I love you, Esme." He continued. "And Carlisle, and Jasper, and even Emmett."

I chuckled at his childish speech. He looked so adorable.

"Marry me, my Bella. I love you, and I love yooou." He kept babbling.

"You already asked me that question, Edward." I reminded him, brushing some hair from his forehead. He hummed happily, closing his eyes and bending his head down so I could reach his hair easily.

I chuckled, and pushed him lightly towards the one unoccupied couch. He got the hint and walked over. I sat down and patted my lap, ordering without words for him to lay his head down on it. His smile was blinding once he saw my intentions and in less than a second had his head on my lap.

I scratched his scalp lightly as I watched everyone. Edward kept humming quietly, his eyes closed as he murmured his love every now and again.

Jasper and Emmett seemed to be in a competition to see who was the loudest; I bet our neighbours could hear them perfectly. They kept talking about anything and everything, and most of it didn't even make sense to me.

Emmett's personality seemed to burst as a drunk. It was a good thing that he couldn't form coherent sentences most of the time, or else we would've had to tie him up somehow so he wouldn't get into any mischief.

Carlisle was busy analyzing his hands still, seemingly fascinated by them, and Esme kept wringing her joined hands in front of her, her eyes wandering around the room full of curiosity.

Rosalie was laughing at Jasper and Emmett's debacle. I had honestly never seen her so carefree before; she looked so much more beautiful when she was smiling. She danced around the room, playing an imaginary piano and singing a tune softly.

"Bella!" She called out loudly. "My husband is sooo hot, don'tcha think?" She approached Emmett and squeezed his bicep. He flexed his arms, loving the attention he was getting. "And he's sooo good in -"

"Rosalie!" Vivianna called out, interrupting her, thankfully.

She looked our way and walked towards me, sitting down near me on the arm of the sofa.

"Y'know, Bell, you're not so bad." Rosalie slurred. "You're kinda sorta all cool." She made a fist and lightly punched her left breast twice, right where her heart was. "You're here." She pointed at me then with her pointer and middle fingers extended. It reminded me of the opossums from Ice Age 2.

She got up, going back to her husband and kissing him loudly on his lips. It was a bit disgusting as she plopped down on his lap and snogged him.

Vivi walked up to me, handing me a camera. I hadn't noticed her taking pictures, but was so glad she thought of it. It wasn't my camera, it was a digital one, and it had a bunch of videos as well as pictures of my vampires all acting strange. I asked Vivi to get my camera, so we could develop the film with the potion and so they wouldn't just erase the photos tomorrow.

I think we spent most of the roll, but we both enjoyed it way too much. It would be great blackmail one day, if the need ever arose.

I was sure it would.

My Edward kept quiet, enjoying my massage on his head. I leaned down to kiss his forehead and he opened his eyes, grinning at me.

"Love you." He said once again. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Love you, too, you silly drunk boy." I teased, rubbing my nose with his.

He just grinned once again and closed his eyes, content with the attention he was getting.

I finally noticed Alice in a corner, quietly weeping. I would've thought that she would be even more boisterous than Emmett as a drunk, but she seemed to change her ways completely.

"Alice?" I called gently. She looked up, her eyes shining with tears that could never fall. "Come here." I ordered, patting the seat next to mine.

She ran, almost throwing herself at me. "I'm sorry." She cried on my shoulder, her little arms around my neck in an almost painful way.

"I'm such a bitch." She continued. "I was jealous, and I really wanted to hurt your sister because you just spent time with her all the time, and ignored me and I hated her. But I know it was wrong and petty and awful, and I shouldn't have done that because she's been around you longer than me and knows you best and needs your help, and I just wanted to take you shopping because I know you'll like it one day and I hate your clothes and I wanted to burn them all but Edward and Jasper didn't let me." She said it all in one breath.

I just looked at her stunned by her confession. Was she really going to burn all my clothes? And she did try to hurt Vivi purposefully. She looked so miserable now, though, I couldn't stay mad at her anymore.

"It's okay, Alice. I forgive you. Just please don't do that again. And I will never love shopping, so you might as well give up on that. I choose my clothes based on what I _like, _not what people think. Anyways, you have to apologize to Vivi as well, not just me."

She nodded, still dry sobbing on my shoulder. I tried to disentangle her arms from my neck, but couldn't. "Alice, you're going to bruise my neck." I whispered to her. A little tighter and I'd be out of breath.

"Sorry." She sniffed, letting go, but pecking my cheek. "Thank you." She whispered, getting up.

She looked around the room for my sister, and noticed her sitting on the floor next to Emmett and Jasper, listening carefully to something they just _had_ to explain. Emmett was gesturing wildly with his arms, barely missing my sister's head a few times, but it seemed he was making his point somehow.

I saw Alice approach Vivi, and they talked quietly for a while. It ended with a hug, so I assumed it went well. I just hopped nothing like that would ever happen again.

It seemed the effects of the dragon blood would not be wearing off anytime soon. They had drunk half the bottle, which I assumed was a lot for them all. They couldn't just sleep it off. Would they be hungover? I really hoped so.

I amused myself with them all for another hour or two, and then decided to call it a night. Emmett still had my sister entertained, and it seemed she was egging him on, so I just let them be.

Carlisle and Esme had moved to the loveseat, and they were both very quiet, holding hands and eying everything with interest. Jasper was talking to Emmett and Vivi, and Rosalie and Alice were playing with my sister's hair. They kept asking her to change its colour, length and everything, so they were all pretty set for the night.

"Alright, lover boy. I'm going to go up and shower. Are you staying down here?" I asked my fiancé, who had stopped professing his love for me and was now mumbling how much he loved everything. And I really meant everything.

"I love the sofa." He mumbled, snuggling onto my lap. I chuckled.

"Love, I need to shower." I leaned over his ear to whisper. "Could you let me up? I promise I'll let you lay with me later." I bargained. I couldn't just push him off me, not that I wanted to, but I really needed a shower.

"Okay." He mumbled, sitting up. I said my goodnight to everyone, but it seemed they didn't even hear; that or they just didn't want to acknowledge me.

I grabbed both cameras to take upstairs. I was planning on sleeping with them under my pillow as insurance; and Vivi produced another camera out of nowhere, so we had more than enough proof of their wild night.

Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked, and I had to brace myself so I wouldn't break over his weight.

I could tell he didn't realize what he was doing, because he would never put that much strength into an embrace.

I got into our room and headed straight for the bathroom, while Edward looked around, seemingly fascinated. I didn't take long, and soon was snuggled up in bed.

Edward lay his head on my stomach and I resumed scratching his hair; he seemed to love it when I did that.

He wrapped his arms around my waist as I got comfortable to sleep, nuzzling his face into my stomach and blowing a raspberry there.

I giggled, "Edward, what are you doing?" I was really loving my drunk Edward.

"Getting comfy." He replied. Sober Edward would have never used the word 'comfy', so if I couldn't tell before, just that let me know he wasn't himself tonight.

"Okay, my love. Whatever you say. I am going to try to sleep now, okay? Wake me up if you need anything." I leaned down and kissed his really messy hair. "I love you."

"Love you, too, my Bella. My love. I love her, she's a witch, y'know. Literally, not the witch that people say so they won't say bitch. She has a wand, and she shrunk my clothes once. I liked it. Maybe she'll do it again now?" He kept mumbling to himself, or to some imaginary friend.

I grabbed the camera I had just put down on my bedside table and took a picture of him, the digital one recording everything he was saying. He was just so cute right now. And then I reached for my wand and granted his request, shrinking his shirt until it ripped. That was more for my benefit, though.

"And then she took me to a castle, and I met her sisters, and she can change her hair and eyes and nose. I love the cute little button nose, and the purple hair. Oh, and the violet eyes, too." I giggled, stopping the recording camera and stashing both of them under my pillow.

I fell asleep to Edward's mumbling. And woke up a couple of hours later when he squeezed my waist and nuzzled my stomach.

"Edward?" I asked, a bit disoriented.

"I love you, Bella. Have I told you that? I really do. My hair misses you."

I chuckled, running my hand through his hair once again so he would calm down. He hummed happily and shut up, thankfully. Ten minutes later, and I was fast asleep once again.

He woke me up three more times during the night, and every time he said he loved me and asked me to keep scratching his scalp. He looked like a little boy wanting some love, and I couldn't refuse his shining golden eyes.

When dawn broke, I could barely keep my eyes open. I slept for maybe two or three hours, and was really tired.

When I heard a collective groan, though, I smiled. Guess they did suffer from hangovers after all.

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_**The dragon blood being able to get vampires drunk was A E Giggle's idea. I give her full credit, as I am not trying to steal anything**.** Please, once again, I have her permission, so please do not bother her. Thank you!**_

_Reviews would be appreciated! Please, review?**  
**_


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey everyone! Sorry it's taking so long for me to update. Juggling two stories is kinda hard, and it's also starting to get cold in here. And when it gets cold, I can't get comfortable to type, my fingers are freezing, my weak wrist hurts, and my bad knee doesn't let me stay put for long periods of time. It sucks, but I'll try to get the chapter out faster, I promise!_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own in Vivi.  
_

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Chapter 16

My Edward was the first one to complain. He groaned loudly before closing his eyes tightly, as if trying to block the light from hurting them.

He squeezed my mid-section once before sighing, burrowing his face on my stomach, nuzzling it once more. I gently ran my fingers through his hair and he sighed once more, this time in relief.

"What happened?" He whispered, looking a bit disorientated.

"You mean you don't remember?" I asked in a normal voice, and he winced.

"Not so loud, Bella." He complained.

I couldn't hold in the giggle that escaped from my lips. "Oh, baby." I whispered, taking pity on my fiancé. "You truly don't remember what happened last night?"

He shook his head, making my fingers still on his head. He nudged them, silently asking me to keep scratching his hair.

"I remember coming home from dropping you off. Emmett and Jasper had just started drinking. Everything else is a blur. It's so weird."

"What is? Not remembering?"

He nodded. "We have perfect memory. And now it's all so blurry and confusing. I have no idea how I've even got here. Did I hurt you? Did I do anything?" He started to panic.

"No, no." I soothed him. "No, baby, you didn't. You were just so adorable." I smiled as he pouted.

"Adorable?" He scoffed.

"Uh-hum. You kept saying you loved me. Actually, you loved everything and everyone last night." I giggled. "And you just wanted me to keep running my fingers through your hair like I am now. Which is why you're lying like this." I explained.

"Okay. And what else?"

"Well, Emmett and Jasper seemed to be the drunkest ones, they were loud. Rosalie, I think, had something going on in her head, she just danced and sang along to music only she could hear.

"Carlisle was obsessed with his hands, analyzing them all the time, and Esme just seemed to like watching everything around her. Alice was really quiet, she apologized to Vivi and I and then she just sat down to play with my sister's hair."

Edward looked at me as if I were going crazy. "I have proof." I defended myself. "Lots and lots of proof, actually." I giggled in mischief.

"What do you mean you have proof?" Edward asked. He slowly rested his chin on my stomach and looked at me. "What did you do?"

I scoffed. "I didn't do anything. I merely recorded what _you_ were doing."

I retrieved his digital camera from under my pillow, not showing him my own camera hidden there. I would have to go to Mum's to develop those pictures.

I showed him the last video of him talking about me to some imaginary friend. He looked perplexed for a while before groaning.

"Was I really like that the whole night?"

"Yes. You were so cute, my silly love." I teased him once again, leaning over as best as I could to kiss his forehead.

"Cute? That looks like I annoyed you the whole time." He groaned again.

"No, you didn't." I reassured him. "It was really cute, I promise you. Just being with you, and being able to comfort you for a change was great." I grinned. "You're always the one doing the comforting, so that just made me feel, I don't know, useful."

"Well, then I'm glad to be of service." He grinned back at me. "Is there anything else in that camera?" He asked. I nodded.

"If you promise not to erase anything." I tried to glare at him.

"I promise. I really do want to know what happened last night."

I handed him the camera, and he looked through photos and videos, laughing at some and groaning at others.

"Does your head still hurt?" I asked, still massaging his scalp.

"Not anymore. I'm loving what you're doing, by the way."

I giggled, not really telling him that I really enjoyed doing that for him.

We spent a few more minutes in bed as I tried to explain a few photos to him. He laughed as I told him about Emmett's greeting and antics, and was just glad that Alice had apologized.

We got up and changed quickly, and as we made our way into the kitchen, I noticed my mother's owl sitting on the windowsill.

"Teddy!" I remembered, running towards the bird. He let me untangle the letter from him and accepted my treat that I kept around for Lynx before flying away.

_Teddy's fine. It was just an earache that developed quickly. He's back home already._

_Love, Mum._

I sighed in relief. At least my nephew was fine. I felt bad for completely forgetting about him for a while.

I left the letter on the kitchen table, grabbing a slice of bread, spreading a bit of butter on it to eat. A glass of milk later, and I walked into the living room hand-in-hand with my fiancé.

The sight alone made me laugh out loud.

I could tell they were all still suffering some sort of hangover. Edward was fine, which really intrigued me, but I would ponder about it later. For now, I grabbed the camera Vivi left on the couch and took a few more pictures of my vampires.

Emmett and Jasper were cuddled up together on the floor, both with their eyes closed tightly. Alice and Rosalie were sitting next to their husband, and a still sleeping Vivi was lying down on Rosalie's lap. Esme and Carlisle were still on the couch, both with their heads down.

"Good morning!" I said loudly. The only reply I got was more groaning.

I laughed out loud once more, totally enjoying seeing the usually indestructible vampires completely vulnerable.

"Keep it down, Bella." Jasper whispered. I sighed, taking pity on them, and went to wake my sister up.

"Vivi." I shook her shoulder slightly. "Annie, baby, wake up."

"Five more minutes, Mum."

I chuckled, brushing some hair from her face. "It's Bella, Vivianna. You're going to hurt your neck if you keep in this position. C'mon, you can go back to bed soon, okay? Promise."

She sighed, opening one eye first before fully waking up. I helped her up from the strange position she found herself in, and she groaned loudly. "It hurts." She whimpered.

I was used to lying against the solid rock body that was my fiancé, she wasn't. Vampires weren't the most comfortable pillows.

I half-dragged her into the kitchen so she could have something to eat. "Teddy?" She asked as soon as she saw the letter with Mum's writing on the table.

"He's fine. Mum said it was just an earache."

"And the healers didn't notice before sending him home?" She basically stated. I just shrugged, just as confused. "Ugh, Belly, my neck hurts so bad." She complained again.

I stood behind her and started massaging it gently as she ate. She would whimper in between bites as I hit a particularly hurtful spot, and I think I saw a tear escape her eye.

"Should I get Dora or Mum here? They would know a spell to fix it. You know I'm not good with those." I asked, hating to see her in pain.

"No, it's fine. I'll just go lie down in bed this time and I'll be better once I get up." She got up and dumped her plate on the sink. I helped her up and into my room.

"Stay here. You'll be more comfortable." I reasoned.

I had to help her change her clothes since she could barely move her neck, but she couldn't even find the strength to feel embarrassed about it.

I adjusted some pillows so she wouldn't strain her neck even more before tucking her in.

"Just yell if you need anything." I told her as I kissed her forehead. She tried to nod, but winced, and just whispered an 'okay' as she fell back asleep.

Going back downstairs, I found Edward grinning like a fool while Emmett and Jasper whispered words of hate.

"I can't hear them." Edward beamed, pointing to his forehead. "Just your sister. And her mind is actually very soothing at the moment. And your ministrations earlier helped alleviate the pain, so I'm feeling pretty good right now."

I chuckled, glad to see my fiancé actually act his age for once.

"Well, I'm really glad to hear that. It's too bad I don't know any kind of potions to help you guys out. Would you like a goblet of dragon blood?" I innocently suggested.

"Ugh." That was all the response I got.

I spun around, closing curtains and blocking the sun's rays so it wouldn't bother them at all. I cast a _muffliato_ spell on the living room, so most sounds would be blocked. With their acute hearing, it wouldn't work perfectly, but at least it helped. I told them to not leave the room until they felt better, and they all thanked me before going back to whining.

Edward came with me to the kitchen and helped me clean up. Or tried to, but he kept getting distracted. He embraced me from behind while I started waving my wand around, which startled me and my spell was broken. Luckily I was just trying to clean the table, so there was no damage.

He kissed my neck as I got the dishes cleaned and dried, tightening his hold on my waist minutely. He continued with tiny butterfly kisses along my jaw and ear, making me weak to my knees.

"Not that I'm complaining," I rasped out. "But what has gotten into you?"

"The silence is really good." He tried to say in between kisses. "There's no one trying to get my attention, and the minds I can hear are too far away to bother me."

"Uhmm." I hummed, not knowing how to respond.

"And you're just so beautiful. And after seeing the video of me saying all those things, I'm glad you haven't dumped me."

I giggled, turning around in his embrace so I was facing him.

"I already told you, Edward, that I thought you were really cute. And I would never leave you, ever. I promise you." I said seriously, looking right in his eyes.

He hungrily kissed my mouth, not letting me speak anymore. I kissed him back just as passionately, letting him know through this kiss that I loved him.

The kitchen was clean, so I decided to be bolder and hop on the counter, so we could be about the same height. He walked over to me and situated himself between my legs, which I wrapped around his waist as tightly as I could without hurting myself.

"Bella." He whispered against my lips. "So beautiful." He peppered kisses all over my face, giving me the chance to catch my breath.

"Can I ask you something?" I whispered, both my hands wrapped loosely around his neck, playing with his hair.

He kept on kissing me, going a bit south, barely touching his lips to the skin of my neck. I threw my head back so he could have better access. "Uhmm?" He mumbled, not stopping.

"Do you really like my purple hair? And eyes?" I always felt self-conscious when I changed my appearance drastically, and so needed the reassurance before doing so.

This time, he did stop, looking me straight in the eyes. "Yes. I love it." He pecked my lips lightly as I willed my hair and eyes to change. "I love your long hair, with the loose curls." He hinted, and I made it grow longer and curl slightly.

"Exquisite." He whispered before attacking my lips once again. I would never change it back to brown if that was the reaction I'd get.

Maybe an hour had passed before we heard a gasp from the kitchen door. Edward didn't let go of me, just mumbled 'go away, Rosalie' against my skin as he hugged me tightly.

I chuckled, still on my Edward high, cheeks flushed and lips swollen, and ran my hand through his hair. "Let me down, Edward." I whispered, knowing it would be impossible for me to push him away.

He sighed but acquiesced, taking a step back and helping me down from the counter.

"Did you need anything, Rosalie?" I asked, not trying to be mean, merely curious.

"I started feeling better and had to get away, Emmett was getting on my nerves." She confessed.

Edward and I chuckled as he once again wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulders, both of us staring at Rosalie.

"I didn't drink as much last night, but it still took a while to recover. Now I'm feeling really..."

"Weird." Edward and I completed at the same time.

"Yes." She chuckled. "It's strange that I cannot remember most things I did last night."

Edward nodded, knowing what she was feeling.

"I do remember saying," she lowered her head, "that you weren't bad, Bella. And I meant it. I'm so sorry it took so long to admit it, but I was too proud to back down once I realized you weren't lying. I hated that you had showed up, knowing what we were and no one in my family seemed to care.

"But you've proven yourself trustworthy over and over again, and I have no excuse other than that I am really hard-headed, and so I would hope you could forgive me."

"Oh Rosalie," I untangled myself from Edward's arms. "You were forgiven a long time ago." I approached her, hesitating before slowing wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

She reacted fast, and put me in a bone crushing hug, almost knocking the breath out of me.

"Thank you. You are too good a person, Isabella." She whispered before letting me go. "I'm going to check on my husband now. Thank you." She said once more before leaving the room.

I turned around and looked at Edward with wide eyes, not really knowing what had transpired. He just shrugged, letting me know she was sincere, before pecking my lips and telling me he should help his sister.

I nodded, walking around the kitchen to prepare lunch.

An hour or so later, I went back into my room to wake my sister up.

She looked peaceful, no frowns or anything, so I assumed she wasn't feeling any pain. When she got up and confirmed that it didn't hurt as much as before, I let her go shower in peace.

The next couple of days passed by quickly, and during one particularly hot afternoon, we were visited by three owls. I recognized one of them from Hogwarts, so I immediately got up and let them in through the kitchen window.

The three of them hooted when I offered some water and treats as I unwrapped every letter from their legs. There were eight in total.

They flew away after resting for a while, and I distributed the letters accordingly. Vivi had two of them, one probably her exam results.

She squealed loudly once she opened it, so it was safe to assume she passed them all.

"We'll be on the same year now, Belly. Maybe we'll have classes together." She grinned, putting me in a hug.

"We'll see, Vivianna. I'm sure you won't want your big sister around for long." I teased her.

"Always, Bizzy. I'll always want you around, even when I don't show it." She squeezed me once more before letting go and opening her other letter. I followed her example and did the same.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

_Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall_

_Dear Ms. Tonks_

_We are pleased to inform Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will go back to its normal schedule on September first. Please find enclosed a list of books and equipments necessary for all seventh years. _

_Welcome back,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_

The next piece of parchment had a list of books and potion ingredients that would be needed, and a few different equipments that I would have to buy, but most of it I already owned. Most books were good for sixth and seventh years, so I wouldn't have to buy them.

Vivi's letter was exactly the same as mine, with the same list, but since she didn't attend during her sixth year, she would have to buy everything written down.

I then peeked over Edward's arm to see his letter. It basically said the same thing as mine, but stating that he wouldn't be able to participate in classes that required wand use, but he was welcome to watch it at any given time, as long as he let the professor know in advance.

They would be able to participate in Potions, so long I or someone else was with them to lit up their cauldrons, which was fine by me. Herbology, Ancient Runes and Divination were other classes they were allowed to take part in, as well as Arithmancy and Astronomy. If they really wanted, they could watch Professor Binns' class of History of Magic, but I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

Esme and Carlisle were invited to help the staff that taught Muggle studies, which branched into art, music and more. Carlisle, as a muggle doctor, would be able to explain how muggle medicine worked, and Madam Pomfrey would let him observe and help whenever possible in the hospital wing.

Esme, primarily as an architect, would be able to teach art and most muggle things through a muggle perspective, contrasting with the usual professor's views. Harry told us he found out professor Burbage was killed by Voldemort, and they still didn't know who would replace her, which left Esme as their first choice.

The other Cullens were allowed to be in those classes as well, to teach their ways. And throughout the year, the students would learn more about vampires just through observation of how they acted amongst humans, along with a few classes set aside just for this purpose.

Everyone was really excited to go back to Diagon Alley to buy their supplies, so I owled Harry to ask him if he were available to go with us. Mrs. Weasley would be accompanying Ron and Ginny, and Hermione would be there as well, so we set a date comfortable for everyone.

Jasper started to explain how our money worked to Carlisle and Esme, but Esme had gone to Diagon Alley with Harry before, and knew about it.

Edward also gave the small leather bag of money to Vivi that he had kept with him since our first visit there. She tried to refuse, but he was really insistent, and she couldn't resist him. I didn't blame her; I couldn't resist him either.

We met up with Hermione and Harry at the Leaky Cauldron the following Saturday.

"Hey." Harry greeted us, grinning.

"Harry." I replied, hugging him tight before moving and doing the same to Hermione.

"Ron and Ginny will meet us at Flourish and Blotts." Hermione told us as we made our way to the back of the pub.

We went straight to the bookstore, Harry telling us about his experience of living alone and finally being free to do as he wished, and not what his vile relatives forced on him.

"I can wake up late, not do any dishes if I so wish, leave my room a mess, eat what I want when I want. It's very freeing." He confessed. "By the way, Bells, you have to teach me a few of those domestic spells you know. I really can't make my dishes clean themselves, nor fold my clothes and all. Please, please, teach me."

I chuckled. He sounded like me a few years ago when I begged my mother to teach me the same thing. I nodded, letting him know I would, and to let me know before term began so I could stop by his place to do so.

"Oh, I'll be there, too." Hermione piped in. "I'm awful when it comes to domestic stuff."

"Okay, I'll make a deal." I told them. "I'll teach all I know on that if you help me with healing spells. I couldn't even help Vivi with a whiplash a few days ago." I confessed, making my friends laugh at me.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, but who are the ones begging to be taught how to fold clothes properly?" That shut them up.

Ginny, Ron and Mrs. Weasley joined us a few minutes later, as we were finishing up our purchases. Carlisle went ahead and presented both of them with the books they would need, letting them know it was just so they wouldn't have to stay in line for such a long time, but we all knew it was just the Cullen need to help others.

Mrs. Weasley tried to pay him back, but he heard none of it, stating that everything from this trip was his treat, and he wouldn't hear otherwise. When Emmett cheered, Carlisle reminded him about the dragon blood, which shut him up instantly. They were still unable to remember all that happened that night, even though they'd seen the videos and photos we took.

I told Esme that I needed new ink, parchment and quills, and she led the girls into Amanuensis Quills, where we quickly stocked up on everything. I told the vampires that pen and notebooks were not acceptable in Hogwarts, and they should buy enough to last half a year, separating enough parchment and quills for seven vampires. I includes various bottles of ink, and had the mind to add more quills than necessary, seeing as they were very fragile for the vampire strength.

We hit Madam Malkin's next, and I ordered three new robes for myself and for Vivi. We outgrew ours, and my last one was destroyed during the battle. Alice and Rosalie complained about having to wear those 'hideous things' all year round, but Esme shushed them quickly.

The boys met up with us there, since they needed new robes as well, and soon poor Madam Malkin was going crazy with everyone there.

As soon as they all purchased their things – Esme and Carlisle got a few different robes in various colours they liked – all robes, apart from the vampire's, got their houses' emblem on it. I loved magic.

I saw Edward carrying what looked like a bag from the Quidditch shop, but he wouldn't show me what it was. The bags were all magically altered, just like my trunk and purse, so I couldn't see the shape or weight of it.

We went through the apothecary next, buying all ingredients we would need for potions lessons, as well as a few more for the ones I would try at home.

Once we bought everything we _needed_, we went into George's store to buy what we wanted.

As usual, he greeted us enthusiastically. He wasn't as overwhelmed this time since he hired two new people to help out during the summer vacation. He walked with us all around, showing everything new he and Fred had been working on before the Battle, and let us to ourselves then.

I just bought more food for my pygmy, as did Vivi, while the rest of the group browsed. I could see Emmett, Jasper, Edward, Harry and Ron discussing a few things, which brought a smile to my face. I was really glad my vampire family got along with my best friends so well.

George told me he would owl more food every month for us in Hogwarts, and I let him, as long as he let me pay in advance. He argued, but I thrust three galleons into his register before he could sweet talk me into not paying, and he shut up, letting me know that with that money I could pay for a year long supply for both Mia and Maggie, as well as Ginny's pygmy, Arnold. I told him that was what I wanted, and to let Ginny know we got it covered.

Everyone left the store with more bags than it would fit into the car, so we grabbed one of the bigger ones and shoved everything in there. Again, I just loved magic.

We had dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, where we met up with Neville Longbottom, who was also going back for his last year. He told us he was seeing Hufflepuff's Hannah Abbott, and got all red when Ron and Harry started teasing him about it.

"I think you're sweet, Neville." I told him. "Don't let these trolls make you think otherwise." Harry and Ron both got whacked in the head by their respective girlfriends, which made us all laugh.

It wasn't long after we were biding everyone goodbye and piling into Carlisle's car.

The rest of the summer passed by quickly. I visited Harry just like I promised I would, and we all taught each other a few new spells. Harry's trunk was actually organized for once, and I was able to heal my cuts pretty quickly now.

I didn't stop my researches, and decided to try to make the Dreamless Sleep Potion. I knew they used it in school, Harry said he had it once, so I knew it was safe enough to try.

It would take two weeks for it to be fully done, which would leave me with a few days to try it out before we had to take the train back to school.

Edward eagerly helped me, and sure enough, in two weeks I had a purple medicinal potion done.

I tried it first before giving it to my sister, so if it didn't work, I wouldn't harm her.

It did work, though, and by next night I had Vivi try it and then sleep on her own. She didn't wake up once according to Rosalie, who had volunteered to watch her overnight.

I was glad to see both of us in the path for recovery, and with that successful potion in hand, we all embarked at platform nine and three-quarters on August thirty-first, ready to start our last year in Hogwarts.

* * *

_There you go. Hope you guys like it!_

_According to Rowling, Ron and Harry never went back to finish their last year, only Hermione did, but this is fanfiction, right?_

_Reviews are always welcome!  
_


	17. Chapter 17

_Hey guys! New chapter up. It's a bit shorter than I'm used to, still hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: J K Rowling and S Meyer own it all. All I own is Vivianna. _

* * *

Chapter 17

Stepping into the Express was like going back in time. Yes, we had traveled in it back from the funerals, but everyone was so subsided, it didn't feel right.

Today it did.

The train seemed fuller than usual; it seemed most seventh years decided to come back and finish school like me.

I took hold of Edward's hand as we all walked around, trying to find an empty compartment. It didn't take long, since we had come earlier than usual, all of us too excited to just wait around.

The boys stashed our trunks in the overhead compartment, setting the last two under the seats as they just wouldn't fit elsewhere.

Vivi and I had said goodbye to our Mum and Dora, promising both of them that we would write once a week, and that we would be home for Christmas.

We sat across from each other so we could both stare out the window and talk to Dora as we waited for the train to depart.

"Please, make sure you come home for Christmas, Mum will go nuts if you don't. And I don't wanna deal with her if she's like that." She whispered the last part, making us laugh. It was true, though, mother would go crazy if we missed the holidays.

"Don't worry, Dee. We'll see you three during that break. Just be safe, okay?" I whispered, noticing we were about to go. "And keep my nephew healthy and happy for me, got it?" I mock glared at her.

"Yes, yes, Bizzy. We'll be here waiting for you. Love you, girls." She whispered, grabbing one of Teddy's arm and waving it as if saying bye.

"Love you, too, Dee." Vivi smiled, blowing a kiss at them.

The train took off not a minute later, and I just watched as five faces became absolutely filled with joy.

"It's going to be a long trip, you guys. Anything you want to do in the meantime?" I asked, trying to distract them and myself. I just couldn't wait for my last school year to begin.

We spent the first hour talking about classes and what to expect of it all. Harry, Ron and Ginny had joined us after a while; Rose, Alice and I had to sit on our respective lover's laps to make room for them.

Hermione was appointed Head Girl, so she would still be a while.

"Don't you have Prefect duties as well, Ron?" I asked him.

"Nah, McGonagall said in her letter that all seventh years wouldn't have to worry about that, since technically we should've graduated already. But you know Mione, she wanted to be Head Girl; McGonagall gave her the option, and she loves that stuff, so there she is." He smiled, rather pleased with that idea. "Harry's still Captain, though."

He pointed his thumb in Harry's direction to improve his point.

"Awesome." I smiled. "Are you going to hold trials soon?"

"Yeah, as soon as possible. This year's gonna be great, because we'll have a lot more of the old team, since we're all back. I mean, you'll all have to go through all the process, but we all know you, Ginny and Ron will make it. That Cup will be ours!" His eyes were alight, just thinking about the possibilities.

"No, it won't!" Vivi exclaimed. "Ravenclaw's gonna win, you'll see." She puffed her chest as if to make a point.

"Oh, Vivs... don't be naïve, little sis. You're going down." I taunted her. It was all in good fun, though.

"Pff, you'll see. I'm sooo gonna beat Harry."

Harry snorted then. "You can try."

We spent the next hour or so going back and forth with that, but in the end Vivi could see she was outnumbered, and let it go.

Hermione arrived halfway through the journey, and we played a few rounds of Exploding Snaps before we ordered the guys to leave so we could change into our school robes. When they came back, they were all ready as well, and I had to say Edward looked mighty fine in all black.

We spent the rest of the journey talking quietly among ourselves, all too anxious to be coherent at the moment.

We told the guys that they wouldn't need to grab our trunks and pets, and guided them all towards Hogsmeade Station as soon as the train fully stopped.

There were many carriages waiting for us, and we snatched one for ourselves. I could hear most of the students commenting on Thestrals, which were now visible to most of the ones that fought the battle with us.

"Why is everyone surprised to see this creature?" Edward asked as he helped me up the carriage, sitting down beside me.

"Oh. They're called Thestrals. The only ones who can see them are those who have seen death." I whispered. "And since most older students were here during the battle, they can all see it now. I could see after Sirius in fifth year, but before that I thought the carriages were pushed by magic." I explained.

"Oh." He nodded, seemingly fascinated by the creature.

We rode in silence until Hogwarts came into view. We could all notice it was completely redone, not a single sign of destruction showing on the outside. I wonder how the inside was going to look like.

I got hold of Edward's hand, guiding him and the others into the Great Hall, where students were walking around, getting ready for the feast.

"I see Luna, Bell." Vivi said, grabbing my attention.

"Okay." I nodded. "You sure you're gonna be okay?" I asked, brushing some hair out of her face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. The potion's really working." She reassured me.

"Just in case, wait by the door before going to your dorm, and I'll give you the password for our tower, okay? If you need me, you'll be able to get to me then."

"Okay." She agreed, pecking my cheek before skipping to her friends. The Cullens followed me to Gryffindor's table, as we weren't sure if they would be sorted into houses or not.

"Aren't you going to get her password as well?" Edward asked as we sat down. I better prepare myself from the onslaught of questions they would sure send my way throughout the year.

"Ravenclaws don't need a password to get into their common room. They have to solve a riddle; if they get it wrong, they have to wait for someone else to get there and answer for them. So, if I need her, I know where to find her _and_ all I have to do is solve the riddle."

"Right. And why do you guys have passwords then?"

"Well, if you're not aware of where the common rooms are, they're pretty much impossible to find. Our entrance is behind a painting. Hufflepuff's is near the kitchen's, also behind a painting. Ravenclaw's is in a tower, and the riddle is given by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker. And Slytherin's is just a wall in the dungeons, and if you don't know which one, just give up.

"They're not hidden, you know, just not widely advertised to other students. I know where they are because of my sisters, and also Harry and Ron got into Slytherin's common room in second year, so they told me. Most students don't bother finding out, though. And the passwords are to protect our common rooms from other students. I'm not sure if you picked it up," I said sarcastically, "but we don't really get along with Slytherins. Can you imagine what would happen if they could just get into our rooms? Mayhem."

He accepted my explanation, and the rest of the family nodded in agreement.

We waited until the Great Hall was full, and Professor Flitwick walked in with first years. The Hat sang a nice song of unity and courage, proclaiming we should keep the united front and all that. I could see the awe in all the vampires' faces.

"The Hat's the one that will sort them to their houses. It picks the student's best quality." I explained as the first student was called.

Every time someone was sorted into Slytherin, we booed, and cheered loudly when we got a new Gryffindor.

I could easily see Vivi through the crowd, what with her electric blue hair; I could see she was happy to be back, alleviating my worry a little. Not much, though.

My hair was the usual purple I wore every start of the year, and it would most likely stay that way for some time. Edward loved it when it was like that; long, slightly curled and purple, so I left it like that. I would only change it back to brown when we would go out in muggle London, and I didn't want to attract to much attention.

When the last student was sorted into Hufflepuff, Professor McGonagall called out attention.

"Welcome back to another year. I shall be quick with introductions. As many of you are aware, we had a family of vampires help us during our time of need. We have extended an invitation for them to join us this year, and they most graciously accepted. Esme Cullen," Esme got up from her seat, "will be assisting in Muggle Studies. Carlisle Cullen will join her well possible, but he will be working in the hospital wing." She explained. "Would the rest of the Cullens please come up here, so we could sort you into houses?"

They all got up, looking a little nervous, before doing as told. Edward kissed me quickly before joining his brothers and sisters.

I could see Professor Flitwick explaining how the sorting process worked, and they all nodded at the same time. I looked over to Ravenclaw's table, looking right into Vivi's eyes. We both looked a bit apprehensive, and I was crossing my fingers that they would be sorted in our two houses.

"Cullen, Alice." I heard Flitwick call. They would be going alphabetically then.

The Hat took less than a minute to place her in Ravenclaw. I let out a breath of relief. At least one of them would be near my sister if she needed anything.

"Cullen, Edward."

I held my breath. Edward could go either way; he was one of the bravest people I'd ever met, but he was also extremely intelligent.

"Gryffindor." The hat exclaimed, and again I let out a breath of relief. At least we wouldn't be separated.

"Hi, my fellow Gryffindor." He whispered, kissing my temple before sitting down next to me.

"Hi." I whispered back, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Cullen, Emmett."

He was sorted into Gryffindor, and graced us with his presence a second later.

"Hale, Jasper."

Jasper's sorting was easy; he had an analytical mind, and was placed in Ravenclaw, joining his mate and my sister.

"Hale, Rosalie."

Many jaws were dropped as she sat down. Edward winced slightly next to me, which just proved my point.

To the disappointment of many, she was placed in Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall kept on with the rest of the announcements before telling us to 'dig in'.

The food appeared instantly, and I filled my plate with many of the good stuff in there. I was famished.

Edward just played with the ends of my hair as we all ate, talking animatedly with Emmett and Harry about Quidditch; my fiancé could not wait to see a game live. Actually, what he really wanted was to see me play, but he said any game would do.

Ron's plate had twice as many food, but he was able to finish it all and go for seconds before I was done. He even had room for dessert. I had actually missed seeing my friend eat like a pig.

We were dismissed some time later. I had made sure to get our password from Hermione before heading towards the Entrance Hall, where I waited for my sister to show up.

"It's _Scarlet_." I told her as soon as she approached us. "If you need anything, anything at all, come get me. Okay?"

"Yes, Belly, I promise. I'll even get Alice or Jasper to drop me off if you want to. I'll be fine, sissy. Don't worry so much." She tried to calm me down.

"I worry, Vivianna. You know that. But I'll try not to drive you crazy. Just meet me before breakfast in here, okay? For my sake?"

She sighed and nodded, pecking my cheek and following Luna and her other friends to Ravenclaw's tower.

I got Edward, Emmett and Rosalie to follow us to our common room. I showed where everything was once we got inside, leaving out the fact that boys weren't allowed into girl's dormitories. I wanted to see Emmett try to sneak in; I lived for a good prank.

Rosalie would be bunking with me and the other girls from our year. We had all come back for our last year; Hermione, Parvati and Lavender, along with me. And now Rose.

Our trunks were already at the foot of our beds, and I ran to free Lynx from her cage. She hooted in appreciation before flying out the window. She would probably go to the Owlery for something to eat.

My pygmy also came with me, and I kept her at my bedside table. She wasn't as much trouble to care for as an owl, so I would be able to keep her there.

"So, Rose. Students aren't allowed out of their common room after hours, but I'm not sure how the rules will apply to you guys. Also, don't tell Emmett, but boys aren't allowed to come up here." I whispered the last part, hoping the other vampires couldn't hear me.

"We have our meals at the Great Hall, and tomorrow at breakfast we'll get our timetables. I know you guys don't eat, but I'm sure the school has worked something out for you."

She sat down on her bed as I listed a few rules.

"I'm not sure if anything changed due to recent events, but mostly that's it. Try not to piss off any Slytherins unless you're good at retaliating. I'm gonna go downstairs to check on Edward, you coming?" I said it all as fast as I could, getting up and heading down the stairs.

Edward was waiting for me, smiling slightly as he saw me.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked once I reached him. "Is there anything you need?"

He shook his head. "Just you." He whispered, guiding me towards one of the seats near the fireplace. Rose and Emmett also sat down, along with my friends.

We spent a few hours talking, explaining how things worked here in Hogwarts to the newcomers. They listened attentively, soaking it all in. When I couldn't control my yawns any longer, Edward called it a night and helped me up.

He kissed me goodnight by the stairs, promising to be here waiting so we could go to breakfast together in the morning. I kissed him one more time, wishing with all my heart he was allowed to go up and sleep with me. I would miss his cold arms around me during my slumber, and waking up to him kissing me, but I would have to adjust. It was just one year.

Hermione, Ginny and Rose followed close behind; we bid Ginny goodbye by her dorm door, and went into ours just across the hall.

I made sure I had everything I would need ready for tomorrow, so I could sleep in a little bit, and then lay down to sleep. After ten minutes of moving around trying to feel comfortable, I finally fell into a fitful sleep.

I woke up on time, thankfully. I changed into my uniform and quickly got ready in our communal bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair as fast as I could so I could meet up with Edward.

True to his word, he was awaiting at the bottom of the stairs, a smile plastered in his face.

"Good morning, my love." He whispered, kissing me softly.

I replied to it before entwining my fingers in his and heading towards the entrance. Rose and Emmett were just behind us, while the rest of my friends decided to go down a bit earlier.

Vivi was waiting for me as I had requested. I took a good look at her and sighed in relief. She didn't look distressed or too tired, which meant she had a full night's sleep.

"It went all fine, Bee." She confirmed my suspicions. "Alice's in my dorm, and she watched over me. Promise I had no nightmares, or anything like it."

I nodded, kissing her forehead lightly. "I'm glad, baby. Thanks for putting up with me. I swear I'll let up now that I know you'll do fine. Just remember to let me know when the potion's running out, because it takes two weeks to make a new one." I reminded her. She nodded that she understood before going to join her friends.

I noticed Harry had saved us a place next to them, so we headed in their direction.

"I just talked to McGonagall." Harry said as a way of greeting. "Trials will be in two weeks. She just told me to remind you all that vampires aren't allowed to play."

Emmett pouted, even though he knew it wouldn't be possible.

"You'd probably kill someone." Hermione stated. "It's already madness with just this bunch, I can't imagine what your strength and speed would do."

She laughed as she saw Harry, Ron, Ginny and I pouting.

"We're not that bad." Ginny whined. "It's all Slytherin's fault. They provoke us, we just retaliate accordingly."

The three of us nodded in agreement.

"I can't wait to see you play." Edward whispered, kissing my cheek in the process.

"Well, I hope I don't disappoint you." I replied, grinning.

"Never."

Emmett interrupted us by asking if they were at least allowed to watch try-outs, and if he could fly a bit afterward. Both his requests were granted, much to his delight.

Professor Gallagher, our new Transfiguration professor and Gryffindor's Head of House, passed through our table sorting out classes for everyone.

My schedule was the same as sixth year, so no Divination nor Care of Magical Creature. The Cullen's timetables were similar to mine, as they would be able to join me in Potions, Herbology, Ancient Runes, Astronomy and Arithmancy, and observe Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. We would all be taking Muggle Studies, if anything, just to support Esme.

"It's going to be a busy year." Harry stated as he looked over his schedule. "Well, I'll have all classes with Ron, but we won't see you girls in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Classes will be full too, what with the two seventh years and all that."

"Yeah, should be fun, though. Have classes with different people than what we're used to." Hermione chimed in. "You'll have classes with Ginny." She teased Harry with a wink, making both him and Gin blush.

Our first class was double Potions, so we all headed towards the dungeons. The Cullens would be able to observe for a while before trying to make anything as a precaution.

Professor Slughorn was already in place once we arrived, and I could see his eyes light up as he took notice of who I had with me.

"Welcome, welcome." He greeted my fiancé and siblings. "I'm so happy you'll be attending my classes, you have no idea. Make yourself comfortable. Isabella, make sure they have all they need." He ordered me.

I hadn't made what he called the 'Slug Club' the last time I was in school. I was actually in no state to socialize and such, so I didn't feel bothered by it. I was pretty good in Potions, but that year I had more pressing issues, namely trying to cope with my sister's disappearance, so I didn't do so well in class. I guess he still resented me.

"Of course, Professor." I put on my best smile and showed them their seat next to me. Every row sat four students; I sat in between Edward and Rosalie, so they could all watch what was happening. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat behind us.

The two hours passed by quickly, and with no more rudeness from my teacher.

"I didn't like him. He kept thinking about prizes, and how he would look good with us by his side." Edward told me as soon as we left the classroom.

I just shook my head, not surprised by it.

We had free period and then lunch, so I showed the three of them around Hogwarts' grounds. It looked a lot more peaceful this time around.

After lunch, we had Charms along with Ravenclaw, so we would be joined by the rest of the family.

Jasper looked positively giddy when we reached the classroom. Professor Flitwick wasn't in class yet, so we could talk freely.

"What's wrong with you?" Emmett, the blunt one, asked.

"Nothing." Jasper replied. "Just a lot of people concentrated in a somewhat small space. They're all excited for their first day. I can't help it." He shrugged.

Vivi and Luna joined us then, and we had to settle down once the teacher arrived. He just went over what was expected for this year, seeing as we would all be taking our NEWTs at the end of the school year.

We had another free period before Arithmancy, which was spent lounging at our common room.

The last class of the day was Ancient Runes, and then we would be free for the day. It all went by so quickly, I barely even noticed. Luckily there was no homework yet, so we could enjoy all our free time.

After dinner, everyone met at Carlisle and Esme's room to talk about our day. Hermione, Ginny and Luna were more than excited to see my second parents, and Harry and Ron tagged along with their girls.

Carlisle showed us the few books he had checked out of the library already – he swore he wouldn't live in there, though – and let us know he would be able to help out with mostly everything that didn't require a wand; we used potions for most cases, he just had to learn which one did what.

Esme was extremely nervous about her first class, which would be tomorrow. In fact, it would be with our year, so we would be able to support her during it. She relaxed visibly once we told her that; maybe Jasper had a hand in it as well, but it didn't matter.

Vivi was bouncing around, glad to be back and all. She and I talked for a bit while everyone was distracted, and she assured me she was doing fine. She looked a bit annoyed with me, but didn't say anything.

As the night wound down, I let out a sigh.

This would be one pretty eventful year.

* * *

_Gallagher is an Irish last name and it means Lover of Foreigners. Pretty fitting, I would like to think._

_Bella was too preoccupied with her sister and Edward, which's why I didn't describe much of the castle and students. Just in case you're wondering lol_

_Reviews are always love!  
_


	18. Chapter 18

_Hey there. I am sooooo sorry for the delay. It's been hectic around here, job interviews and training and all that. I'm sorry. _

_I hope you enjoy this chapter, as I made it in Edward's point of view. Just seemed appropriate._

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and JK Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi._

* * *

Chapter 18 – EPOV

Everything was so different in here.

For one, there was no hiding. Everyone knew what we were, and not counting a few starstruck stares we got, they treated us like they would everyone else.

The castle was absolutely breathtaking; I had never seen anything like that in my hundred years. When we had first come here for the fight, we were too preoccupied to notice anything, but now I could see just how truly magnificent this place was.

When we arrived yesterday I tried taking it all in quickly, but it was just impossible. Everything was so grand, with so many details, it was impossible to just run my eyes through it all and be done with it.

So when I bade my Bella goodnight, Emmett and I left the common room to explore the castle. Professor McGonagall had informed us that we were free to check it out as we pleased, so long we didn't disturb anyone while doing so. She also gave a small list of places that were off-limits or password protected, which she made sure to stress were _truly_ off-limits unless stated otherwise.

I had picked from Rosalie's mind a small tidbit of information that Bella shared with her, something about boys being forbidden on girl's dormitories, but not the other way around. I wouldn't try going up there, but couldn't wait until Emmett succumbed to it and made a fool of himself.

We walked through the seventh floor throughout the night at a human pace, taking everything in. There were a lot of paintings, and they all moved and talked to us as if they were alive. We had somehow gotten used to it from out visits to Harry's house, but it still felt a bit surreal.

We went back to our common room at dawn. Rosalie didn't want to join us that night, but she spent her night sitting in front of the fireplace, reading one of the books we were recommended to buy.

An hour or so later, I heard Bella coming down the stairs and so got up to greet her. I kissed her luscious lips before offering her my arm so we could walk to the Great Hall together. Her friends had already left, and so had Emmett and Rose.

Bella ate earnestly, making small talk with Hermione about today's classes.

We would have Esme's class first thing this morning, and I could hear in her mind just how nervous she was. I guess I could empathize with that; we were all still getting used to humans knowing what we were and accepting us.

I quietly told Bella about Esme's anxiousness, and she looked up at the teacher's table apprehensively before looking back at me.

"She looks fine." She whispered.

"Well, she's trying to maintain a calm façade, but truthfully she is really scared. You forget I can hear everything?" I teased her lightly.

She shook her head at me, I guess still getting used to this 'new' me. After I had learned Bella was not the fragile little human I believed her to be, but instead a quite powerful witch, I started to let go a bit. She had always complained I was too uptight and I should act more my age, and I was finally seeing it through her eyes.

So I started joking more and teasing her. Our make out sessions were longer as well, and no one could hear me complain about that. I was still extra cautious but I let myself live a little, which was a bit ironic seeing as I was dead.

Bella noticed those changes, too. And she took advantage of it. She wasn't as shy to voice her opinions and we started to communicate more and understand each other more as well.

She was suffering, her family was suffering and we could do nothing but be there for them.

But I digress.

Bella looked back at the table and smiled softly at Esme, wishing her good luck in a normal voice tone, knowing my mother would be able to hear it just fine.

Esme's reply was a beaming smile and a thought to me to let Bella know it was appreciated, which I recounted to my fiancée immediately.

She ate while I had my cup of blood. It was just so weird to 'eat' like this, but it would have to do for now.

I picked her backpack and threw it over my shoulder, wrapping my other arm around her so we could walk towards Muggle Studies together. She usually complained about being coddled, as she loves to say it, but I didn't care. She was my girl and I would do anything to make her more comfortable.

We took a seat near the front beside each other as chairs were grouped in twos in this class. Rose and Emmett sat right behind us, and Bella's friends sat to our right. The Ravenclaws arrived just after us, and my brother and sister, plus Bella's sister and her friend Luna scattered around the classroom.

Esme entered the room shortly after, looking a little scared as well as nervous, but as soon as the class started she got more comfortable and calm.

She basically just talked to everyone, trying to get to know her students and how much did they know about Muggle and their technology. The few students that were Muggle-born or had families that were Muggle – like Bella – were able to answer more questions, but it didn't deter people to actually try to learn new things. From what I had gathered, last year's class was not among the favorites.

We had a free period after this class, which we spent working on homework – the teachers here didn't believe in 'first day' rules of no homework. It was actually fun to study here, because we didn't know anything beforehand. We had never gone through magic school, so it wasn't repetitive and boring.

Bella guided us to her next class, which we were allowed to watch but could not participate in, which was Transfiguration.

"Good Morning, everyone." Professor Gallagher greeted as she entered the classroom.

Because we could not actively participate in this class, my siblings and I had to sit in the back of the classroom where we wouldn't disrupt anyone. It was a shared class with Ravenclaws once again, so at least Bella had someone to sit with since her friends were all paired off.

Professor Gallagher explained what she would expect of her students this year and all that they would be able to accomplish until their NEWTs, before going into their first subject, which was about untransfigurating things. From what I gathered, it was like a counter-spell, returning things to their proper forms.

The next two hours were like organized chaos. One student in particular, Seamus, seemed to have some difficulty not blowing his object up. Many were chanting the words, but nothing would happen.

The teacher explained that there was a specific hand move that went with the spell so it would actually work, and finally some of the students started getting it right. It was still small objects, like books or cups, but it was an accomplishment, apparently. Hermione was the first one to do it right, on only her second try, and earned Gryffindor twenty points for it.

We headed for lunch, a frustrated Bella trailing behind me with her head down. She was only able to work on her spell right by the end of the class, which she wasn't used to. She was exceptionally bright, but for some reason that spell got to her.

"Bella, sweetheart." I stopped, motioned for everyone to keep walking as I hugged her to me. "It's only your second day back. You don't have to get everything right, you know?"

She wrapped her arms around me as best as she could with her and mine backpacks hanging over my shoulders.

"You're not thinking I'm stupid or anything?" She asked in a small voice.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Of course not. I know just how intelligent you are, Bella. Just because it took you a while to get one spell right doesn't mean you're a failure or anything. I think you're wonderful no matter what." I confessed, trying to make her smile.

She did look up with a small smile on her lips, which was good enough for me. I kissed her forehead lightly before unwrapping my arms from her, taking her hand and walking the rest of the way to the Great Hall in companionable silence.

She ate quickly since we lost twenty minutes of lunch time talking. We only had two classes in the afternoon, which meant more time to do the pile of homework that was accumulating already.

Our next period was free, so we just stayed in the Great Hall to study while Bella worked on her Transfiguration essay. She was a quick writer, I had noticed, even with having to use quill and ink instead of a pen.

We had double Herbology with Hufflepuff, which was actually really interesting. Professor Sprout was this short, chubby old lady that had a really quick mind. While she was talking about the new plants we would study, her mind was already on what assignment she would give today while wondering how her students would do. It was fascinating to watch her.

She revisited what they had already studied a bit, which included mandrakes and fanged Geraniums, which looked a bit scary. Their homework was to describe what they could remember of all plants they had studied so far, which was why we were cleared from it.

The last period was also a free, so we headed to our Common room, where Bella and her friends immediately started on assignments. At six-thirty I had to remind them that it was dinner time and they should go eat.

Rosalie and Emmett decided not to join us for dinner, and went off on their own to explore the castle. I winced when I saw the real reason in their minds; after all these years I still could not understand how they could be so openly vulgar when knowing I would know what was on their mind.

Bella and Hermione spent the best part of dinner discussing something about potions, and I could see just how much my Bella enjoyed debating things with, well, anyone apparently. She and her friend talked and ate without so much as batting an eye to everyone else, so engrossed they were with their theories.

Hermione was by far the smartest witch I'd ever seen. Of course she was still young, and I was sure there were many older wizards and witches who were smarter, but it was impressive just how much information her mind retained. Not that I could read her at all, since she and Bella had learned Occlumency.

The two witches walked back to our Common room still talking, Bella absentmindedly running her thumb over my knuckles, not even aware of what she was doing at all.

We all worked on more homework until about ten, when they decided to retire for the day.

"I'll be right up." I heard Bella tell her friends before she turned to me. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" I asked, absolutely stunned.

"For just ignoring you throughout dinner. Sometimes Hermione and I just get too excited over something and we can just keep going and going. Everyone else is used to it, I didn't mean to just turn my back to you like that."

I sighed. "Bella, sweetheart. I don't want you to start acting differently just because of me. I love your passion for magic and I don't want you to change anything in account of me. I fell in love with you, not an image of you. So please, don't apologize."

She nodded, finally getting my point as she rested her head on my chest.

"I love you." She whispered, wrapping her tiny arms around my waist, and I could hear her breathing me in. She had told me once my scent was very soothing for her; I was just glad I could do something to help her at all.

"As I do you, my love. Now, you should go rest. You had a long day." I whispered, kissing her head before pecking her lips twice. She leaned on her toes to give me another kiss before going up to her dorm.

I waited until she closed the door before going to my room. I wasn't sure what I should do this evening, so I got my books and went back to the seat in front of the fireplace so I could research for my assignments.

The next day was pretty busy, so we rushed towards the Great Hall before going to a double Charms class. It was nice to watch, but I could see all of us itching to do some magic as well. It was too bad we couldn't.

Bella and her friends worked on their work on the free period before Bella and Hermione headed towards Ancient Runes while the guys went on to something or other.

I liked watching that class since I could be an active participant; it was also fascinating to learn a new language.

I had a goblet of blood with my siblings during lunch time while everyone ate, and then finally we would have two classes on Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Bella." I heard someone call my fiancée as we walked towards the classroom. I did notice some Slytherins following us, so I assumed we shared that class with them.

"Draco?" Bella turned around, slightly puzzled. I was on alert since I couldn't read his mind.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked in a low voice; the boy looked out of place and scared for some reason. He was also very pale and thin, almost like he was sick or something.

Bella looked at me and I shrugged, letting her know it was her decision. She nodded but told him that I would be going with them.

We walked into a deserted corridor not far from the classroom, which indicated we wouldn't be long.

"So?" Bella asked after a few seconds of silence.

"I'm sorry." The blonde boy blurted out. "I know Mother talked to you already, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and I won't bother you or Vivianna this year."

Bella opened her mouth a couple of times, as if trying to find the words but failing. Finally she sighed and nodded.

"Okay. I guess I can forgive you after all that's happened."

"Thank you." He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm also stepping down from our Quidditch team. I'm just not... it's just not..."

"I understand." She let him know. "Thank you for being the bigger man and owning up to your mistakes." She said as parting words, grabbing hold of my hand and guiding me towards the classroom.

To say I was confused about their exchange was an understatement. Who was this guy, and why did he feel the need to apologize to Bella like that? Did they have a history together? Did something happen before she moved to Forks?

I really needed to know. I could feel myself grow impatient and, I admit, a bit jealous. Even though she told me a lot about her life, I wasn't there to live it with her. I knew she purposefully held some things back, but I never pushed it.

Was this one of those things? Was he her ex-boyfriend or something? But then why would he say he would leave Vivi alone as well?

There was no time to ask Bella any of those questions, since class had begun.

"Good afternoon." The teacher greeted. "I'm Professor MacKay and I will be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." He explained in a low voice.

He looked a bit scared. His hazel eyes were haunted, as if he had seen way too much in life. His hair was thinning and almost gray and his skin looked sickly pale.

He waved his wand towards the blackboard and things started to appear in there, such as his name and qualifications.

He started class asking what everyone had learned so far. Since this was a seventh year class, most students had been present in the war. Well, all Gryffindors were, but only a handful of Slytherins had stayed.

Because of that, most students were pretty advanced; the teacher liked that, saying he wouldn't have to mollycoddle anyone.

He asked everyone to write about spells they had learned and creatures they knew about, both in class and by themselves, and to hand the parchment to him when they were done. Again, since my siblings and I hadn't gone to this school, the three of us talked among us quietly so as to not disturb the class.

In the back of my mind, Bella's conversation with that Draco kid kept playing on repeat. I tried to analyze it in any way I could, but still could not see what it was with him.

The two hours dragged on, and for the first time since we got here I wasn't actually having fun.

We had the rest of the day free, and Bella and her friend Hermione took off towards the library after getting their assignments from their room. Harry and Ron had a different schedule, and had one more class before being done for the day.

I followed my fiancée so I could do my homework as well. She was so carefree, once again debating something with Hermione, and I didn't know how to bring up her conversation with that guy.

We spent the rest of the afternoon working in silence. Both Hermione and Bella wrote furiously on their pieces of parchment, seemingly not caring that the professors had actually set a twenty inches limit.

They had dinner before we all walked back to the Common room, where we saw Ron and Neville playing some sort of chess while the rest of the boys watched intently.

It probably shouldn't have come as a shock, but the pieces would move on voice command and destroy their opponent before taking their place.

It was fascinating to watch, and Ron was a really, really good player. He could be a match to Jasper easily.

Bella was snuggled close to me as we sat on the couch to watch Ron beat anyone who tried to challenge him. Her head was resting on my shoulder, her eyes closed in content while I ran my fingers through her hair.

She wrapped her arms around my torso, and with her eyes still closed, she sighed.

"What's wrong, Edward?" She asked, not moving from her spot.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I was under the impression I had disguised my despair quite well, but Bella knew me better than anyone.

"Don't try to pull that one on me." She lifted her head. "You've been down since lunch, baby. Did I do something?" She frowned, her lips forming a pout involuntarily; a sign she was about to cry.

"No! No, baby, you didn't do anything. I'm just... I..." I tried to tell her what I was feeling but didn't know where to start.

"Is there somewhere we can talk privately?" I asked her. I was extremely aware of everyone around us, and through the minds I could read I could tell many were tuned into our conversation.

Two boys in particular, a Seamus Finnigan and a Dean Thomas, seemed to want us to fight so they could 'comfort' my Bella once we break up.

Too bad it would never happen.

She nodded, taking my hand as we made our way out of the Common room. Since the war was over and there were no apparent threat, students were allowed to roam the school unaccompanied. Older students, like Bella, had a ten o'clock curfew, which was great for us.

She walked around the castle with purpose, knowing exactly where she wanted to go. A few minutes later we stopped at a wall. There were no doors anywhere near us, but she seemed sure of where she was.

She paced back and forth in front of the wall and suddenly a door did appear. Pushing the handle down, she walked in and motioned for me to do the same.

I looked around in awe; the room was magnificent. There were bean bags all around and a fireplace already lit.

"The Room of Requirement." She explained quietly.

"The same room we were when we first got here?" I asked.

She nodded.

"It looks very different, though." I stated the obvious.

"Yeah, this room will turn into whatever you need at the time. You just have to know how to ask." She smiled at me.

We picked the biggest and what looked like most comfortable bean bag to sit on. I sat down and dragged her with me, getting her to cuddle with me. Her body molded onto mine as we faced each other.

"Now tell me, baby. What has you so down?" She asked softly while running her hand through my hair.

"It's probably nothing." I tried to stall, but one look from her had me spilling my guts. "I just didn't like that Draco guy approaching you. Do you guys have a history?" I finally asked.

She snorted. "You could say that."

It was definitely not the reaction nor the answer I was expecting. I huffed a bit too loud, which had Bella in a fit of giggles in no time. Her reaction was only making me angrier, though, as much as I wanted to reign it in.

"Baby," she sighed, controlling her laughter. "Are you jealous? Of Draco?" She snorted his name, breaking into laughter once again.

I closed my eyes so she wouldn't see them darkening. Why was she doing this to me?

"Why would he say he'd leave you alone, then? And why would he apologize for what he had done?" I voiced my concerns a bit too loudly, which immediately made her chuckles stop.

"Edward, love." She sighed once again. "Draco's my cousin." She looked me in the eye as she said that, her gaze full of compassion. "I thought you were joking. I didn't mean to make you mad or anything. Draco Malfoy is my cousin, babe. He's my aunt Narcissa's son. Remember, she went to your house on Vivi's birthday?"

I nodded, just realizing what a fool I had been. I had acted like a possessive boyfriend, irrationally jealous just because some guy talked to her.

"He's always been mean." She continued. "He would provoke us constantly, trying to make him feel better about himself. I can see the changes in him, though, just like in my aunt. He almost died because he trusted the wrong people. Harry, who was always the most targeted by Draco, saved his life when he was in danger himself.

"That family will never be the same. Finally Draco is mature enough to own up to his mistakes instead of hiding behind his father's cloak. He's trying, and I'd rather be on good terms with my family after living so many years in fear of them.

"I'm not sure I could ever forgive my uncle, Lucius, because he was the reason my aunt and cousin acted like they did. He was the big influence in their lives, and he's the one who should be groveling right now. I hope my aunt puts him in his place." She finished her rant.

I smiled in relief, kissing every part of her face I could reach.

"I'm sorry." I said in between kisses. "I shouldn't have assumed. You were always honest, and yet I came up with my own conclusions. It wasn't fair on you and I shouldn't have worried you so much."

"It's okay." She whispered, her index finger tracing my cheekbone and lips. "Can we stay here for a while? It's so quiet, I don't want to go back to all that cheering and yelling."

I acquiesced to her request, but really, who wouldn't?

We spent the next couple of hours talking quietly about anything and everything. She told me once again that I was her one and only, and that she had never dated anyone before me. I loved that she wanted to reassure me even though I had acted so badly.

At ten to ten we made our way back to the dorms. She stopped at the first step so she was about my height before kissing me lovingly.

"Have fun with whatever you're doing tonight." She smiled. "But not too much fun." She winked at me.

I loved playful Bella.

"I will. I love you." I reminded her and was granted a smile.

"Love you, too. Good night."

She disappeared behind one door, closing it softly.

Not many students were up, and I didn't see or hear Emmett or Rosalie anywhere, so I walked back out and tried to find the way to Ravenclaw's Common room. I should have asked Bella, but I was up to the challenge.

I also missed talking to my brother and sister. Alice had really changed after her altercation with Bella, she was a lot more subdued. It may also be because her visions barely work in here. There were so many different creatures living here for her to work her visions around them, so she was quite lost.

I reached the Ravenclaw tower and started looking around for anything with an eagle on it.

It turned out I didn't need to find it, as Jasper was just in front of an eagle-shaped knocker.

"I heard you come up." He said as a way of explaining. "Do you want to see the Common room?"

I nodded, eager to learn something else about this castle.

I noticed the makeshift door was not closed all the way, so there would be no need to answer riddles or anything like that tonight.

As we got inside, I gasped loudly. It was such an amazing place. The domed ceiling was painted with stars, as well as the midnight-blue carpet. The room was circular and cozy, much like Gryffindor's.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to a statue near the staircases.

"Rowena Ravenclaw. One of the founders." Jasper replied.

I looked around once more, noticing every detail from the tables to the bookcases.

"Where's Alice?" I asked once I finished my inspection.

"Out with Rosalie."

"I didn't hear Emmett, though. He's tagging along?"

Jasper just shrugged. "I just thought I'd like to know this place better. Wanna go check the dungeons?"

I was more than eager to go, so I agreed on the spot. Before leaving, I searched through the many minds to find one familiar one, just to check if she was doing okay.

Vivi wasn't dreaming at all, and if I weren't so used to her 'voice', I wouldn't even notice she was sleeping there. Bella would be pleased to know that.

We explored the dungeons that night, and I was delighted to spend some time with my brother. From my family, he was the one that had more difficulty with our diet. It was mostly psychological, but Bella had theorized once and I had to agree with her; Jasper felt everyone's emotions at all times. He couldn't turn it off, just like I couldn't stop reading minds.

Bella had said that, because of his power, he felt his thirst as well as all of our family's at the same time, which made it difficult for him to control it.

I brought it up tonight, asking if his thirst had diminished now that we were all 'living' in different parts of the castle, with magic and everything else between us.

"Yes, actually, I don't feel so thirsty anymore. I don't know if it's because of the dragon blood or what you just told me, but I didn't feel the need to attack anyone since we got here."

He was in awe.

"I'm sorry we all made you feel uncomfortable." I apologized. I could hear in his mind how he hated Alice or anyone keeping an eye on him because he was the one _most likely to slip._ It made him feel inadequate and sometimes unwanted, and it took my human girlfriend to see what was right in front of us.

I guess we were all just so used to doing that, focusing more on Jasper than everyone else that we forgot to take his feelings into consideration. And because of his upbringing, he never brought it up, maybe for fear of being thrown out of the family.

"Thank you, Edward. You have no idea just how much what you said mean to me. I'll be sure to than Bella when I see her this morning." He smiled, seemingly a lot more carefree now.

The rest of the week went by without a hitch. The students started learning new things, and the pile of homework just grew. On Thursday we had Astronomy class on one of the towers, and it was absolutely captivating. I could understand Bella's fascination with stars and constellations now.

On Friday we had Muggle Studies once again with Esme, and we could all see she was a lot less nervous. She started talking about their – _our_ – technology and how we would learn about computers, televisions, mobile phones.

Bella and I went back to the Room of Requirement once, seeking the silence we cherished so much.

Saturday morning I was broken out of my reverie with a well known high squeal.

"Harry just posted the try-out date."

Bella exclaimed as she plopped down on my lap, kissing me soundly.

"You'll finally see what Quidditch is all about."

I could hardly wait.

* * *

_There it is. Did you like to see things from Edward's eyes this time around? I had fun writing him!_

_Oh, **MacKay** is a Scottish surname and it means 'Son of Aodh', which means fire. Sounded like a nice name.  
_

_On another note, did anyone watch Deathly Hallows part 2? I have to say it was amazing, extraordinary, fascinating, dramatic and fun all in one. I cried from Snape's scene on (you'll know which one if you watched it), almost sobbing when Neville started talking. The full theater cheered when some characters were killed *cough*Bellatrix*cough*, and the whole experience was one of the best in my life. I'll probably go watch it again, this time in plain 2D instead of 3D. It's worth it all, though. _

_I'm still suffering from post-end-of-Harry-Potter depression. ='(_

_Hope you forgive me from taking so long, and please review?  
_


	19. Chapter 19

_Hey! What do you know, I'm still alive after all. _

_I'm so sorry it took so long to update. My life has been crazy. I have just started a new job this month, and it's quite hard work. For those of you who are teachers, you know what I'm talking about. So my time to write was cut short. I'm going to try to balance it all better from now on. _

_Disclaimer: S Meyer and J K Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivianna._

_**Small edit: I got Bella's name wrong in this chapter, so if you get another alert, I just corrected it. Thanks rpattzgirl08 for letting me know. **  
_

* * *

Chapter 19

Try-outs were tomorrow.

I was so nervous. Even though I had been playing for our house team since my third year, it wasn't sure that I would get in. There could be many new talents hidden in second and third years and I would be thrown aside for them.

But I would give my best and hope Harry would let me stay.

"Bella!" My Edward called out just as I stepped foot inside our common room. It was Friday and I had stayed behind in the Great Hall finishing my dinner as Edward said he had _something to do._

I looked up and smiled at my fiancé. He was so adorable sometimes; right now he was looking so flustered and excited I wondered how old he really was.

"Yes, Edward, I'm here." I teased him. It was so easy to do so now.

"I see." He winked. "I really, really need to talk to you. Come to my room?" He asked as his eyes shone. I couldn't really refuse.

We went up to the boys' dorm room and he gently ordered me to sit on his bed while he went to retrieve something.

"I know you're not a big fan of me spending too much money on you," he started, bringing back a small bag with him. "But I just had to buy this. I know you'll make great use of it." He smiled serenely as he handed me the gift bag.

I opened it and gasped loudly.

"No way!" I exclaimed and I was sure my eyes were dancing.

I leaped from my seat right into my love's arms, kissing every part of him that I could reach. "Thank you," I kept murmuring in between kisses.

He chuckled at my antics and brought me back to the bed so I could take a better look at my present.

'A _Firebolt,_' I thought reverently. _With my name engraved on it._

From my place on Edward's lap, I gingerly took it from the bag, cleverly disguised as a small jewelry one, and just stared at it for a while. It was _perfect. _It was still shining and smelled like new.

"I love you." I whispered, finally taking my eyes off the broom to gaze at my fiancé. He was smiling widely, looking at me with that adoring gaze reserved only for me.

The broom floated in front of me at the perfect mounting height, but I didn't get on it. At least not for now. My first flight with it would be out on the Quidditch field.

"Thank you so much, Edward. This was the best present you could have gotten me." I told him sincerely.

"I was going to wait until your birthday, but it's so close now that it would make no difference. I'm so glad you liked it." He said in relief. "I was so afraid you wouldn't."

"I'm sorry." I lowered my head. "I know that I made it difficult for you with the no gifts thing, I just didn't think it fair for you to shower me with gifts if I couldn't even tell you my most valued secret.

"Every time I thought about it, it felt like I was cheating on you somehow. Because I knew your secret, but you didn't know mine. I didn't want to take anything else from you." I confessed.

"But I like getting gifts, I promise. This," I motioned for the broom. "Is the best thing you could have given me. It shows just how well you know me, and that you're somehow accepting me for who I am." I smiled at him.

"I do, Bella. Believe me, I do accept you for who you are. I love you," said he.

I pecked his lips, replying his sentiment.

I had to leave a few minutes later since the boys were all ready to go to bed. I wanted to keep my present a surprise until the try-outs the next day.

Edward kissed me goodnight and I walked back to my room, still in a daze.

I was the proud owner of a _Firebolt._

"Did you like it?" Rosalie whispered to me as I got into bed.

"Edward's gift?" I asked to confirm. She nodded. "Yes, I loved it." I grinned.

"I'm glad. He was really worried." She confessed.

"Yeah, I know. I feel bad for making him doubt it so much. We talked it out, though." I promised her.

No matter how cold she could be, she was still fiercely protective of her family, and I admired her for it.

"Good." She replied, but smiled to show me she wasn't trying to be mean.

Sleeping turned out to be impossible. I tossed and turned for almost an hour before falling into a fitful sleep.

I did wake up rested, though.

I got ready pretty quickly, going down to the Great Hall for a small breakfast of toast and orange juice. Anything else and I was afraid it would come back up in a few hours.

Edward was pretty excited as well. His smile was so big, I wondered if his cheeks were hurting. His eyes were alight with mirth, as if he couldn't wait to see me fly.

He held my hand in his, carrying the small, nondescript bag that contained my broom with him to the field.

I could see at least half of our house crowding the door to the changing room.

"I'll go get a seat, then." Edward let me know as I approached the front of the field. "I'll cheer for you." He winked, kissing me soundly as he left.

I swear I could _hear _a few girls swoon nearby.

_Hands off, he's mine._

I had the bag in one hand, walking through the throngs of people to reach Harry, Ron and Ginny by one set of hoops.

"Hey, guys. Great turn out, uh?" I said.

"Yeah, we're thinking of ways to see who'll make it to the next part of the try-outs. I think there are some first years in there as well." Harry said.

"Think so. Don't they know they're not allowed to play? They're not even allowed a broom yet!" Ron exclaimed, making us chuckle.

Harry took a deep breath, then.

"Let's do this."

We all nodded in unison, following right behind him.

"Listen up, guys." He called out, but the chatter still ran on. "Guys." No one paid attention.

Ginny handed me her Nimbus, putting both forefingers in her mouth and whistling loudly, which made everyone quiet down at once.

"Thanks, Gin." Harry said in a low voice. Then in a louder voice, he started. "If you are a first year, I'm sorry to say you are not allowed to play for your house team yet. So any first years here, if you could please join the rest of the students in the seats. You may watch the try-outs."

We heard a few groans as at least six or seven students left the crowd.

"Okay, for the remaining players, first I want to see how well you can fly. So in groups of five, we're going to do three laps over the field. You five can go first." He said, pointing to the first five students in front of him.

That was the process until all fifty or so people had their chance to fly. Only about ten or fifteen of them could actually mount the broom and maintain balance on air, so the group diminished drastically.

Only after that did Harry separate the groups into players. There were more people trying to get in as beaters than chasers, so I actually had a chance to keep my spot.

Harry started off with the beaters, since there were more of them. I noticed Dean Thomas among them, and silently groaned. He and Seamus were relentless and would try anything to get any girl's attention. Unfortunately I was among their very ample _type_ of girls, and not even having my fiancé nearby could deter them.

Dean was good, though, even I couldn't deny that. He could sense where the bludger would be and his swing was really strong. He was the best among them all, and there was no doubt he'd make the team.

The chasers would be next, so I finally took my broom out of my bag, feeling a bit smug with all the gasps I could hear.

"Wow, Bells, where did you get that?" Harry eyed it appreciatively.

"My gorgeous, amazing, loving fiancé." I replied back, knowing Edward could hear it all and also to put a stop to Dean's advances.

"Awesome. Well, there aren't as many chasers, so let's do groups of three." He picked the only three guys trying for chasers and watched them interact. Being a good chaser wasn't only having aim and scoring a lot. We needed to be in synch with all our teammates, and you could tell who would be able to adapt and the ones who couldn't change.

There was another group of girls before me, and they were slightly better than the boys. Their aim was better and they seemed strong enough, but there was no communication among them, which was bad.

Ginny and I got ready to fly with another girl, the only one left. Her name was Eloise, and she seemed slightly nervous, despite looking calm.

When Harry gave the okay, the three of us flew up and started flying around waiting for the Quaffle to be throw.

Ginny caught it, and from then on we played almost flawlessly. There were a few misjudged distance or strength every now and then, but mostly we did very well. In my opinion, better than the others. And Eloise was great, it was like the three of us read minds instead of talked to each other, knowing what we would do beforehand.

We only stayed in the air for five minutes, but it was enough to show off a little bit for my fiancé and the rest of the family.

Harry asked us to help him with the keepers, and so we spent the next twenty minutes trying to score on them.

The first one was only able to catch one shot, so he was out. The other guy caught three, but when Ron caught all five, we all knew who would be on the team.

Harry called everyone to the middle of the field. He had made his decision and would let everyone know immediately.

"For Keeper, Ron Weasley." He smiled at his best friend.

"Beaters, Dean Thomas and Jimmy Peaks." He nodded towards both of them, who high-fived each other before joining Ron.

"And Chasers, Ginny Weasley, Bella Tonks and Eloise Midgen."

The three of us cheered loudly, and I could hear my whole family applaud from their seats, which made me flush immediately.

"And, well, I'm still the Seeker, so..." Harry trailed off uncomfortably. He didn't like to remind everyone he was the best seeker out there.

"Thank you all for coming, and keep in mind that if something happens to one of our players, I'll call one of you to substitute them."

We all went back to the dressing rooms, and quickly changed.

My fiancé was waiting for me right by the door.

"You were amazing." He whispered as I threw myself at him. He caught me easily and walked us towards the castle. "You seem like a completely different person when you're flying. Your face, it's like there is nothing better than being in the air. It's like you feel free to do anything."

I rested my head in the crook of his neck as he adjusted my position, now carrying me on his hip as if I were a little child.

"Thank you." I replied. "I do feel free whenever I fly. The wind in my face, having nothing but the sky in front of me. It makes me feel alive."

He carried me all the way to our tower before setting me down in one of the couches. He was faster than everyone, so we were the only ones back.

Crawling into his lap, I took advantage of that to kiss him senseless. It had been a while since we were completely alone like this, and even though we only had a few minutes, I wanted to make the most of it.

I was so glad to be back, to be able to finish my education, but I just could not wait to be tied to Edward in every way possible. I want to get married and changed so we could start the rest of our lives together.

"I love you." He whispered as he kissed me, which made me melt into his arms even more.

He suddenly stopped, and I only had the time to sit in his lap a bit more properly before the door opened and all students walked in. I hid my face in my fiancé's neck so my friends wouldn't see my swollen lips and make fun of me.

"First practice will be next Saturday." Harry told us once they all sat down. "I'd already talked to Professor Gallagher before try-outs. She just told me we could have the field from four to six in the afternoon."

I nodded in agreement, looking around to see most students were in the common room, either doing homework or talking.

"Great." Ron exclaimed. "I can't wait."

"First game will be against Ravenclaw." Harry looked at me. "Their try-outs will be this afternoon."

"I know, we're going down to watch it." I told him.

"I have to give her something." Edward whispered in my ear.

I looked at him, puzzled by that. He just shrugged.

"It's only fair. I got a broom for her as well."

"You did." I shrieked, throwing my arms around him. "Oh, baby, thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"She's your sister, Bella." He said in a low voice.

"I know, that's why I'm saying that. Vivi is a huge part of my life and, you know that. Thank you for always including her in stuff like this. She'll be so happy." I sighed. My love for Edward grew even more after this.

It wasn't the fact that he bought an expensive gift, but because he knew just how much my sister meant to me. He didn't know she had asked to be changed (unless she thought about it and he just didn't tell me) but he could tell she would be a fixture in our lives, no matter what.

Just the fact that he thought about her, and bought her a gift out of nowhere showed the kind of person I was going to marry. He was far from perfect, I know, but he was _my_ perfection.

We had lunch before heading back to the field, where Ravenclaw would now start their try-outs.

Only a few people were there so far, Vivi among them. Her blue and bronze hair stood out in the crowd and she was easily recognizable.

"Hey, Annie!" I called out so she could come to us. I didn't want people around us when she got her gift.

She walked over to us, looking slightly green. She always got nervous before games and things like that. I could tell she was nervous because of her left leg, that kept shaking. She always did that when the nerves got the best of her.

"Hey, Bizzy, Edward." She smiled at us. "Are you going to watch today?"

"Yes." Edward replied. "I saw Bella this morning, and now we're here for you."

She blushed slightly. "Thank you."

"C'mon, baby girl, you'll do fine. You're a pretty damn good seeker, there's no need to be nervous." I tried to calm her down.

"I'm okay." She tried to play it down. I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so I'm a little nervous. It's normal."

"Actually, Vivi, we have a purpose to being here." Edward interrupted before we could turn our argument into a fight.

"Oh, yeah?" She retorted.

He nodded, handing her a bag that was similar to the one I got, looking at her expectantly.

"No way!" She exclaimed loudly. "For real?" She asked, looking from me to Edward.

I shrugged. "It was all his doing. I had nothing to do with it, promise. In fact, he gave me one just like that. Except it had my name on it." I winked at my cheeky attempt at a joke.

"Thank you." She almost screamed as she gave my fiancé a hug. "This is so awesome, my chances of getting in now are so much better. No more old Nimbus 2000. Hello, Firebolt." She reverently took the broom from out of the bag, examining it closer.

"Beautiful, isn't it? And it flies oh, so well." I told her, glad to see that twinkle in her eyes.

"Thank you." She said once again.

We noticed that most students were gone by now, which meant the try-outs were about to start.

"I have to go." Vivianna said, handing me her now old broom. "Wish me luck." She whispered.

I gave her a tight hug and let her know I'd be cheering for her. She went into the changing room and I walked hand-in-hand with Edward towards Alice and Jasper, who were already seated.

The rest of the family was scattered around the field, all of them pretty excited to see some more Quidditch, even though it was only practice.

They loved anything that was new to them. And since they were somewhere where everything was different, they were absolutely enjoying themselves.

There was no hiding here and I could tell that was still slightly odd for them. Especially for Jasper and Carlisle, who have been around the longest and were used to hiding.

Jasper told me he was enjoying it all. He had started reading books about our history, all wars and battles that had happened long before he was even born. He was fascinated by it all, noticing how it had all happened right under their noses but they had never seen anything.

Carlisle had taken residence in the library, devouring all our books. He let us know he would not be moving into the place, but would spend many a night in there.

Ravenclaw's trials started just like ours, and soon they had defined the ones who would be able to continue on.

They started with chasers, and I took notice on who was going to be selected. They had a few good ones, but no one that really stood out. I didn't know their names and they all seemed to be fourth or fifth years, so they weren't among Vivi's friends.

Beaters were next, and I have to say they had a few bulky guys that could give our beaters a run for their money. They had good aim, too.

The keepers were next, and it seemed they did have a couple of good ones. I was silently rooting for the girl, as she had caught the most penalties.

Finally, after about half an hour, the remaining three players got into the field. Vivi and two boys were trying for seeker, and I had all my fingers and toes crossed for my sister.

The captain explained to them how their time on the field would work. I knew from previous years that they didn't use a real snitch during trials, or else it could be weeks until they could be found.

The snitch used was similar but they could _accio _it if needed, which was not the case with the real ones. Those blocked all sorts of magic so players couldn't cheat.

The blonde boy was the first to go. He could fly okay, but didn't seem too focused. I could tell he would be no competition for Vivi.

The second boy, though, was pretty good. He knew how to fly and keep an eye on everything, but he was a little slow. Hopefully that would go in my sister's favor.

When she took off, the whole family cheered loudly. I couldn't see her, but knew she would be embarrassed by it.

The broom was a great help; it responded to her every touch and she flew like never before.

She was the fastest of them all, and since she had the experience, she would most likely be chosen.

"The captain likes her." Edward told me as she went back down after catching the snitch. "She's most likely in."

"Really?" I asked him, smiling brightly at the news.

"Yes, he didn't like the first one as he was too easily distracted and the second one was okay, but really slow because of his weight. Vivi is the best choice." He smiled back.

Indeed, when all was over, Vivi ran towards us smiling, and I knew what Edward had said was true.

"I'm in." She shrieked as she hugged me.

"I'm so happy for you." I replied, wrapping my arms around her tightly as well. "You deserve this." I whispered so only she could hear.

After all we'd gone through the past couple of years, she deserved to have her life back on track. I knew she was just as passionate about Quidditch as I was, and this would be a great way to help her heal.

We walked arm-in-arm to the Great Hall so we could talk a bit before dinner.

I asked her the now usual questions about her sleeping pattern and she reassured me, albeit a bit reluctantly, that she was okay. I knew I was annoying her with my worrying, but I couldn't help it.

I had spent almost two years looking for her, and now that she was here I had to do all I could to see her get better.

She understood mostly but sometimes I would be seen as the big sister who wouldn't leave her alone. And she made sure to tell me whenever I was overstepping my boundaries.

"Our password changed to 'snitch'." I let her know. "If you need me, please don't hesitate to tell me."

She nodded, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I already told you that you worry too much. I'll be sure to look for you if anything happens. I'll have Alice or Jasper take me. But nothing is going to happen." She reassured me, her voice holding a bit of annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Vivi. I know I'm annoying you and you're old enough to take care of yourself, but it's in my nature to care for you. I can't let you go through it all by yourself. No matter how much you push me away, I'll always be there." I told her.

"I'm not pushing you away, Belly. I just wish you wouldn't hover so much, and give me some credit. If anything is wrong, trust me to tell you. Let me make mistakes, sissy; you don't have to take care of me anymore."

I knew she was right. I just had a hard time letting go. I'd always been very protective of her, even when I wanted to kill her myself and it was difficult to turn it off.

"I know. I love you." I told her, not knowing what else to say.

"Love you, too. Even though you get on my nerves sometimes." She replied cheekily, kissing my cheek to show she was only jesting.

- X -

On Sunday, I woke up to a surprise.

Since it was my birthday, all my friends and family had sneakily brought up quite the feast from the kitchen, which I readily dug in. Vivi and Luna were there as well, along with Jasper and Alice, and Esme and Carlisle.

After eating, they all handed me their presents, and I opened them all. I got from books to new ink and even some things for my owl. George had sent more food for my pygmy, even though I had bought enough for half a year.

My vampire family gave me a scrapbook filled with pictures, both moving and stationary ones. They had even included a few of the day they'd gotten drunk.

"It's beautiful, thank you." I said, feeling a tear fall down. This showed how well they knew me.

Vivi handed me the gifts Mum and Dora had sent, and I saved them for later.

"I got you this." Vivi gave me one last wrapped parcel.

I gingerly opened it, and gently lifted the small bracelet to inspect it closer.

"A charm bracelet?" I asked.

She nodded, sitting down next to me. I handed it to her so she could clasp it around my wrist, and I swore to myself to keep it with me always.

She had added a few charms to it, like a small broom, a snitch and a book. The one that stood out the most, though, was the infinite symbol.

It showed her decision, even though I had given her a year.

"Forever." She whispered to me, letting me know it meant what I thought it did.

I nodded, complying to her request right then.

"Forever."

* * *

_So, how was it? I know it was definitely not worth the wait, but I hope you enjoyed it._

_Can I still ask for reviews? Pretty please?  
_


	20. Chapter 20

_Hi! Yes, it's me. I'm so sorry it took so long to update, I've just been busy. I'm trying to work on this as fast as I can but it's hard when I have to plan lessons and all. _

_This chapter is a bit longer than usual, and I really hope you don't hate me for it lol_

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J.K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi._

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Chapter 20 - EPOV

Halloween.

I had never really given it a second thought throughout my whole existence, but things were different now.

We were in an enchanted castle, with witches and wizards running around at all times. The whole place was decorated accordingly with pumpkins; bats could be seen flying around the castle, and I could not yet determine if they were real or not.

This place could make even a vampire go insane, and that was saying something.

The past month passed by so fast; the professors here were ruthless with their homework load, so now most of our free time was spent laboring over them.

I could usually find my fiancée surrounded by books in the library, nose deep into a particular one as she researched. Bella took her studies very seriously, and didn't want to fail anything.

Her friends and sister could be found around the same table, all of them deeply concentrated. My own siblings and I would often join them; since we had no background on magic, we all had to actually do all our homework. We did have the advantage of not needing to sleep so we had more time to complete our assigned work.

My whole family was enjoying their stay here immensely, as I could hear from their thoughts. They loved that people accepted them so easily; learning about magic was also another reason for their happiness.

Carlisle was often taken by surprise when Madam Pomfrey had the time to explain the use of each potion she had at hand. He knew the basics by now and could treat a few minor things, but he still could not come to terms that they had something to make your bones grow back, as if it were a tree or something.

Needless to say, he spent most of his free time in the library as well, reading upon maladies and such.

Bella had warned me that Halloween was a big event in here, but I was not prepared for the grandeur of it all.

And also, according to my love, something always happened on Halloween. Like on her first year, where a troll got into the castle, or during second year, where Mrs. Norris (I had learned she was the caretaker's cat) was petrified. It was also on that day that Sirius Black, Bella's second cousin, attacked the Fat Lady while trying to get into the tower.

Every student was excited for the feast, and they were all hoping nothing would interrupt it this time. From the minds I was able to read, I could tell they almost never had a tranquil Halloween, and were hoping this would be their first one.

In preparation for tonight, we had all decided to hunt. This weekend was the first one where students were allowed to go into Hogsmeade, and we would take the opportunity to run somewhere and hunt properly.

It was nice that they provided us with blood every morning but we, the men especially, felt a bit emasculated by it. We all needed a good fight to let go, so we could handle being inside the castle for another couple of months.

Since it was Saturday, all students slept in a bit later, but not much. They were all excited about getting out of the castle for a day, and wanted to enjoy it as much as they could.

From many different minds I gathered first and second years were not allowed to go yet, and even though most of them thought it wasn't fair, I agreed with the rule. They were only eleven or twelve, not yet mature enough to be out and about in a town by themselves without any supervision.

"Ready?" My brother's voice brought me out of my musings.

"In a second. I'm just waiting for Bella." I replied. We were both in our common room, and our girls were still in their dormitory.

"Why don't you go up and call her?" Emmett suggested.

Remembering what Bella had said about the stairs and alarms, I retorted that if he were in such a hurry, he should go up himself.

It didn't take two seconds for the loud alarms to go off, and the stairs to transform into a ramp. Caught by surprise, such a hard thing to happen to a vampire, Emmett fell on his butt and almost rolled off the thing.

Laughter could be heard everywhere, but I was able to distinguish the one that matter the most for me.

I located my Bella by her dorm room door, hand over her mouth as if she were containing her laughter, although giggles occasionally escaped her lips.

Because of Emmett, all the girls that were still up there had to slide down to get to the common room.

"I knew he wouldn't last long." Bella was still laughing as she and Rosalie reached the bottom of the stairs-turned-slide.

Emmett looked so confused, not knowing what was going on.

"Boys aren't allowed in any of the girls' dorms, Em." Rosalie explained, though with a bit of difficulty since she was still laughing. "Bella told me that on our first day. I'm surprised you didn't notice that."

"But the girls are over our rooms all the time, why not the other way around?" He contested.

"Boys cannot be trusted." Bella said in an adorably serious voice, nodding her head once to prove her point. That made me break into laughter all over again.

I could feel her stare pierce through my soul as I tried to stop my chuckles.

"You're just too cute, baby." I tried to butter her up.

She sighed, shaking her head and reaching for my hand as we all made our way down the stairs.

Harry and Ginny had already left, and Ron and Hermione were walking with us. Bella would stay with them and the rest of her friends while we hunted and then we'd meet up later on.

We had all put on our _muggle _clothes, and also carried a change of clothes in a knapsack so we could change after the hunt. I knew for sure my clothes would not survive it.

"So, you'll take how long again?" Bella asked as we left the Great Hall. She just wanted a toast for breakfast, so we didn't even sit down.

"I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe two or three hours. It depends on how long it takes to find game." I told her, trying not to dwell on her disappointed look.

I _had_ to hunt and could not let her convince me to stay. I would if she asked me, and she knew that.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel bad for leaving, I'll just miss you." She proved her point by wrapping her arm around my waist, resting her head on my shoulder as we walked out of the castle.

Kissing her head, I smiled. She knew me way too well.

"I know, baby. I'll be back soon, I just _really_ need it."

She nodded. "I know. I'll enjoy the time with my sister while you're away. Promise I won't mope around." She joked.

Apart from their time together studying, I knew Bella had not spent any time with her sister. From Vivi's mind I knew she wanted the independence. She was getting rather annoyed with Bella's questioning and worries, and knew she'd have to do something about it.

They haven't been at odds, just not spending so much time together anymore. I also knew Vivianna wanted to be one of us as well. From her thoughts on Bella's birthday I gathered all that she saw she'd be losing if she let her sister go.

Bella made the decision without consulting us, and I found it a bit presumptuous of her. Had we no say? But then I realized what we would be breaking if we indeed separated those two, and reconsidered.

I still want Bella to come tell me about all this, but I'll wait until she gathers her courage to do so.

"We're here." Bella said as we reached the village's train station. She would go on into town while my family and I would head towards the muggle world.

"Don't worry too much." I asked her. "I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone."

"Impossible. I already miss you." She confessed, pulling herself to me in a tight embrace. If anyone saw us, they'd think I'd be going away for years instead of a couple of hours.

"Have fun with your sister." I said. "And I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks in about three hours. Sounds good?"

"Yeah." She nodded, lifting her head up. I leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss. "I love you." She whispered as she untangled her arms from my waist.

"I love you, too, beautiful." I pecked her lips once again before joining my siblings and parents.

"Finally." Emmett sighed and I just glared at him.

"You don't have to leave your mate behind whenever we hunt, so shut it." I warned him. I was never in a good mood after having to leave Bella.

"Sorry." He raised his hands to make Rosalie stop hitting him. She had grown closer to my love these past weeks, and felt rather protective of her.

I ran off as everyone discussed things, and felt them come after me soon after.

The castle was truly in the middle of a forest, so it was not that difficult to figure out where we could find something to eat.

For a while, Alice and I canvased the whole perimeter, figuring out where muggle villages were located and the safest places to hunt. Alice's vision worked better when there were no different creatures to interfere with them and she was extremely relieved to be able to see again.

Once we deemed a place safe enough, we went back to the family to let them know.

"There are a few villages and towns about a hundred miles east and west, so be careful." Alice told them. "There are a few trails as well near them, so it's better if we stick to the north."

"Okay." Carlisle replied. "Should we meet back here?"

"I'm going straight to Hogsmeade." I said before he could even finish the sentence.

I would not stay here waiting for my siblings to finish their _activities _while I could be enjoying the presence of my fiancée instead.

"That's fine, Edward." Esme smiled. She understood what I was going through. "We'll just meet you back there."

"C'mon, bro." Emmett punched my shoulder. "Let's check these woods. I need to find a bear somewhere."

"Dude, you know there are no bears in Scotland." Jasper told him, and his face fell immediately. "We'll find you something else."

The three of us took off, then. I wanted to spend some time with my brothers before they went off with their mates somewhere.

There were no bears, but we found a couple of stray wolves that put up a fight, which made Emmett's day.

He taunted the animals for a while, until they were too riled up to fight back. I decided on not taking part on that, so I waited until he was done to find something for myself.

There weren't many options around here, especially as it was quite cold. I managed to drink down two elk, but that was it. We weren't exactly thirsty, so it would suffice.

What we needed was a way to let go, so as Emmett challenged me to a match, I jumped at the chance.

"Do your worse." He taunted, even though he knew I had the advantage of reading his mind.

I charged at him with all my might, hitting my shoulder on his chest quite loudly. He threw a punch, but I was able to deflect it. I could tell his every move, and still he never gave up.

He surprised me a couple of times, thinking of something and doing something different, but I still won.

Jasper challenged me as well. He was very difficult to read because of his training, so fighting with him was more fun.

He threw punch after punch, and each time it made contact, a loud sound erupted. We hoped we were far enough so that muggles wouldn't hear us.

Jasper's moves were a lot more instinctual then Emmett's, if only because he never really thought of what he would do next. For every kick or punch I threw, he retaliated with a few of his own.

We ended up tying, and calling it quits after half an hour.

"I'm going back." I let them know before both of them started their fight. I could also hear both my sisters coming back, and knew I would not want to be anywhere near them in another ten minutes.

They both nodded their goodbye as I ran back towards south, where we had come from. It took about fifteen minutes to get back to Hogsmeade; we had gone quite a bit ways away.

Once I was nearby I took my clean clothes from my knapsack and changed. My t-shirt was almost completely ruined and my pants were really dirty because of the play fighting. I did not want Bella to see me like this.

Once I deemed myself presentable once again I walked out of the forest into the train station.

I didn't know the town very well, as we had only come as far as where I was right now before, so I looked around trying to situate myself.

Quietly I started walking. Luckily everyone here knew what I was, so I got no strange looks for walking around in only a shirt and jeans in October.

Unfortunately, I did attract some attention from the female population. Their minds were really loud most of the time, and today was no different. Most girls were respectful, acknowledging I was with Bella and letting us be, but some of them were not so considerate.

I knew a few of them really disliked my girl and would do many things to get back at her.

I couldn't understand why some people could be so cruel. After all they had been through, such as war, they could have the minimum amount of compassion towards their peers, but that was not the case.

I ignored them as I walked, going from mind to mind so I could see where Bella was.

I finally found her with her sister at Honeydukes, and made my way over.

I quietly walked into the store, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation a bit before making my presence known.

"I know that, Bell. I just don't think it's fair that you get to ask questions all the time, but when I ask them you just choose not to answer."

"I'm not choosing not to answer. I will tell you about it, just not here. Can't you see people discreetly trying to listen in?" She whispered the last part.

Vivi sighed as she looked around, noticing that there were indeed some girls trying to hear their conversation.

"Sorry." She said to Bella. "But you are going to tell me once we get back to the castle. It's not fair."

"You already said that, Vivianna. I'm not hiding anything, promise."

I had no idea what they were talking about, and was caught by surprise as I heard,

"_I know you're here, Edward. I saw you. Just come over and stop listening in. This is between my sister and I." _

I felt thoroughly reprimanded by my fiancée's little sister, so with my head hung low, I made my way towards them.

"Hi." I greeted Vivi first, smiling slightly to show her I understood.

"Hey." She replied back with a small smile of her own.

"Edward." Bella spun around and wrapped her arms around my torso. "That was quite fast." She stated.

"There wasn't much to go on, actually. And we weren't exactly in need of blood, just the thrill of the hunt, which was quite disappointing, I may add." I joked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her to me.

She hummed as I kissed her head, nuzzling her face on my shoulder.

"I have to pay for this, and then we'll talk more." She let me know.

"I'm going to go find Luna." Vivi said. I could tell she was not happy.

"Vivi, please." Bella begged.

"No, it's okay, Bella. Just... I'll talk to you later." She said before walking away.

Bella sighed and shook her head, but didn't insist on following her sister.

We paid for her purchases and left towards the Three Broomsticks.

"So, what was disappointing again?" She asked as we walked.

I felt bad that she had to bundle up quite a bit so she could walk outside, and I wasn't helping any with my cold body temperature. I should remember to bring a coat next time.

"No animals wild enough to fight." I smiled. "Just some elk here and there. Emmett was able to find a wolf, but it's not the same as an irritable grizzly, that's for sure."

"Oh." She replied.

"Am I grossing you out?" I asked, not really sure what her answer meant.

"No. I just don't know what to say to that. Then what?" She urged me to continue, her glove clad hand holding my shirt as she brought herself closer to me.

I rubbed my hand up and down her arm to create some friction, and warmth with that, but she was still shivering, so I sped up a little bit.

"Well, Emmett challenged me, so what could I do, right? We wrestled for a while. It helped a lot, actually." I confessed.

We reached the pub then, and I opened the door for her. She sighed in relief as the hot air hit her face.

She got rid of her scarf and gloves as she sat down, gently asking me if it would be too much trouble if I got her a Butterbeer. I almost rolled my eyes at that, complying almost immediately.

"So, you were saying it helped." She took a sip of her beverage.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm not regretting coming here at all, but we need to find different ways to be ourselves again. We are accustomed to hunt every week or so, and here we spent over two months not doing anything remotely like it.

"It's in our nature to be predators. We fight, and we like it. It's just not natural for us to drink blood out of cups."

"Maybe you should talk to McGonagall about it." She suggested. "It's not like you're under her care like the rest of the students. You are guests, you should be allowed to leave the castle as you wish, don't you think?"

That held some truth to it. We could just ask the Headmistress for the chance to hunt once every two weeks, if only so we could feel like ourselves again.

"I'll talk to Carlisle about it." I promised her. "Now, what was going on before I got here? Your sister seemed quite upset."

"It's nothing." She shook her head and took another sip from her drink. "I just need to learn to let go."

I nodded, not really prodding into it as I didn't want to betray Vivianna. She had warned me this was between them.

"Okay."

"Let's go." She suddenly got up, setting her finished drink down. "I want to show you around for a bit before we go back."

I helped her bundle up once again, making sure she was warm enough before leaving.

"What about that spell you cast before? The warming thing?" I asked.

"It wouldn't really work right now, it's too cold. I should have done it before leaving the castle." She explained.

She was snuggled as close to me as she could, and I had my arm around her. Her face was buried in my shoulder to protect her from the wind.

As we walked she pointed me the main business buildings around, and what I could find there. I would have to come back here alone before Christmas so I could buy some presents.

We spent another hour walking around until she got tired. Slowly, we made our way back since she refused to let me carry her.

We got to our common room and she went into her dorm immediately. Fifteen minutes later she was back with different clothes on. Most students were still out there, so we sat down by the fireplace to warm ourselves. Or, well, her.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. She looked pretty tired this afternoon, after all the worrying and walking, and this nap would help her reload for tonight's feast.

Half an hour later I heard someone come into the room.

"Belly, where were you?" Vivi walked straight to the couch we were sitting on. "Oh."

She noticed Bella's sleeping form laying on my lap, sighed and sat down by her feet.

"Guess I can forgive her for that."

"What's wrong, Vivi?" I asked, caressing my love's hair in the process.

"Nothing, I'm just frustrated, I guess." She shrugged.

"I can be a pretty good listener." I hinted.

"I'm just trying to adjust to all the changes." She confessed. "And my sister is one of those things."

"What do you mean?" I asked, rather intrigued by what was going on.

"She's always been protective, but never overbearing. I don't know how to act around her anymore and I feel she's hiding things from me, afraid I'll get hurt. It doesn't seem fair that I have to share all my thoughts but she doesn't, you know?"

"Yes. But, Vivi, have you really thought about all she had to go through as well? I know you were the one kidnapped, and you were the one who suffered in the hands of cruel, repulsive people, but she was miserable as well." I explained.

She sighed and sat down properly, pulling Bella's legs up so she could slide under them and rest them on her lap instead.

"I just want my sister back." She cried. "My free-spirited, happy, amazing big sister, not this broken form of her."

"Hey," I whispered. "She's still your sister. You have both been through traumatic experiences, and are learning how to cope with it all. Let me tell you about the Bella I got to know." I started. "Has she ever told you about her time in the United States?"

She shook her head.

"She arrived in Forks with your father in September, and registered for school. They changed their last name to Swan and I assume forged documents and everything. She had an American accent at first."

"What?" Vivi laughed. "That must have been horrible to hear."

"It was actually pretty good." I told her. "So, she went to school there, and that was where we met. She was really quiet and reclusive, not really interacting with anyone if they didn't start the conversation.

"I was intrigued because I couldn't read her mind. It was something that had never happened before and she peaked my curiosity. So I did something I had promised myself not to do, which was interact with humans at school in a more personal level.

"Obviously she knew what we were from the beginning, but at the time I didn't know that. She was friendly at first, but I guess as time passed we became friends and then, well... love got in the way." I shrugged, not knowing how to explain my feelings for Bella.

"Was she happy?" Vivi asked.

"Seeing her right now, here, I can tell you that no, she was not happy. She was good at disguising her pain, but it was still there. I know because I could hear her scream as she slept. She was tormented by nightmares almost every night."

Vivi started crying again.

"Your sister sent a Patronus one day, which I saw, and Bella came clean with everything. I didn't want to believe it at first, but it took less than five seconds for me to realize she just wouldn't make something like this up.

"Convincing my family she wasn't as human as she looked wasn't hard. Rose and Emmett doubted her at first, but they believed her in the end. But it was only after we came to London that she told me about you."

That peaked her interest.

"Maybe it was because we were back in your hometown, or whatever it was, it triggered something. She had the worst nightmare that night, and once we were alone, she tried to tell me your story.

"It was really hard for her, and I could tell how much she blamed herself for what happened. She missed you so much, and it tore my heart apart to see her so devastated.

"She had this picture of both of you that she carried around with her at all times. Whenever she mentioned your name, a tear would fall from her eye. Can you imagine living with the guilt that your sister was taken because of you?"

"It was not her fault, though." Vivi argued through her tears. "She knows that, I told her that."

"She still blames herself. And I think you're the only person who can make her see it was not her fault. She needs to be rid of this, or else she can't heal, can't move on.

"Taking care of you is her way of reassuring both you and herself that you're fine, that you're here and won't go away again. She is absolutely terrified of losing you again, Vivianna."

She nodded, quieting her sobs with her hand. With her free hand, she leaned over and brushed some hair out of Bella's face.

"She's always been my rock. The one person I could trust would always be there for me. I just wish I could be her rock, too."

"You are." I reassured her. "I promise you, she needs you just as much."

We sat in silence for a couple of minutes, letting it all sink in.

I could only hear Vivi's mind as she processed it all, and tried to distract myself so I wouldn't focus on it.

So as Bella started to trash around, it took me a few seconds to notice.

"No, no." Bella murmured in her sleep, shaking her head as well. "Come back. Annie, please, I'm sorry." She begged, a tear falling from her eye.

Vivi looked at me alarmed before squeezing herself behind her sister. Her head was at the same height as Bella's shoulder as she looked up, caressing her sister's face.

"It's okay, Bizzy. I'm here." Vivi whispered, her hand on Bella's cheek. "I'm sorry I got mad, please, just wake up."

It was heartbreaking to watch the two sisters at their worst.

"She didn't take the potion." I remembered. "I don't think she intended on falling asleep."

It took another minute for Bella to wake up, looking around disoriented.

"I'm sorry." Vivi sobbed as she wrapped her arm around Bella's waist.

"What? What's going on?" Bella looked up at me before noticing her sister. "Annie, what are you doing here? What happened?"

Vivianna just shook her head and cried. "It wasn't my intention to be mean to you, I promise. I'm sorry I said all that."

"Hey, it's okay. What brought this on?" Bella tried to sit down properly, but couldn't due to her sister.

"You were having a nightmare, sweetheart." I told her. "Don't you remember?"

"No." She shook her head. "Vivs, let me up, please?"

Both of them sat down, but Vivi kept her arm around her sister.

"Your fiancé is an angel." Vivi whispered. "I'm sorry."

Bella laughed. "You already apologized. And I am sorry as well, I promise I'll try to stay away."

"No, don't." Vivi protested. "I don't mind it."

My love looked up at me, alarmed, but then shrugged.

"Must have been one hell of a talk." She joked.

"It was good. As I said, he's an angel. Don't let him go."

We both laughed at that, but it was short lived as we all heard people coming through the portrait.

"We'll talk about all this later, okay? Just you and I, promise." Bella told her sister, who nodded in agreement. "We should go down, the feast is about to start."

They both got up and looked at each other, laughing loudly at something I didn't see.

"Maybe we should go get freshened up before leaving." Vivi stated.

I noticed then both their faces were red and puffy from crying, and it wouldn't sit well with their friends. So they went up into Bella's room to wash their faces and get more presentable.

Ten minutes later they were back, looking more carefree and definitely better than they were before.

"Ready for your first true Halloween?" Bella joked as she took my hand.

"I think so." I nodded, not really sure what to expect.

They were wearing their muggle clothes, since on feasts they were not obligated to wear their uniform.

The Great Hall was heavily decorated with pumpkins and candles. All school ghosts were present, which made the place look just a little more creepy than usual.

"Guess I'll see you later, sis." Bella said.

"No. Is it okay if I stay with you?" Vivi retorted.

I guess our talk really shook her. Maybe she just needed someone else's perspective on things to see what her sister had gone through as well. I knew Bella didn't want to worry her sister any more than necessary, so she omitted a few things.

"Yeah, sure." Bella smiled beautifully at her sister, looking a lot more relieved.

So we sat down next to Bella's friends, waiting for the food to appear.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked her friend. "We looked all over for you in Hogsmeade."

"We got back to the castle a bit after lunch. I was tired, and then I fell asleep." She shrugged. "I didn't see you around there."

"We were at Madam Puddifoot's." Hermione replied.

"No wonder I didn't see you." Bella snorted. "Edward and I were at the Three Broomsticks. Then we walked around for a while before coming back."

They kept on talking as we waited, and when the food appeared they all dug in.

I could see Vivi's hand holding tight to Bella's shirt, and wondered what I could do to help them both. It pained me to see them trying; they were getting better, but still had a long way to go.

Supper was entertaining. Harry and Ron kept discussing Quidditch, trying to explain to my brothers and I a few famous plays. I could see most of them in Ron's mind, so I could actually visualize them, but my brothers weren't as lucky.

I felt more and more at home here, every time feeling more comfortable with everything. Here we were not judged, and we were free to be ourselves most of the time. No one freaked out over our golden eyes and extremely cold skin.

I was feeling a lot better as well when we went back to our common room. Since it was Saturday, we spent the rest of the night talking and playing wizard chess and exploding snaps.

Bella and her friends retired a bit after midnight, while Rose, Emmett and I stayed by the fire reading.

It was past three in the morning when I heard Jasper's mind as he walked towards our common room; and what I saw shocked me.

Looking at my sister with my eyes wide open in alarm, I asked.

"Rose, please, go wake Bella up. It's Vivi."

* * *

_Yes, and to top it off I end it in a cliffy. _

_I know there are no bears in Scotland, but I'm not sure about what sort of wild life they have there, so I took a bit of liberty writing it. _

_Hope you liked it, and please forgive me for the long time with no updates. Could you review? Pretty please?  
_


	21. Chapter 21

_Hey! Got it done pretty quickly this time around! I think. _

_Hope you enjoy it. _

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi._

* * *

Chapter 21

My day could not have been stranger.

First of all, being away from Edward, even if only for a couple of hours, was annoying, to say the least.

I knew he needed to go hunt, I could see it in his eyes that he missed that part of being himself, so I tried very hard not to show the disappointment that he wouldn't be with me on our first Hogsmeade visit.

So I took the opportunity to spend some time with my sister, which turned out in disaster. She was getting really annoyed with me even though I couldn't help it. I tried not to smother her with my worries, but it was difficult. She looked so broken most of the time, instincts just took over.

She also knew I didn't really tell her everything I went through while she was missing. I would come clean one day, but I wanted her to be at least on the mend before I did that. She didn't need to know how much of a pathetic failure I was.

My morning was basically ruined because of our fight, even though Edward tried to cheer me up with his tale of their failed hunt. We spent the afternoon together, even though I fell asleep soon after going back to the castle.

Waking up to my sister trying to calm me down was strange. I couldn't remember having a nightmare, though both of them told me I was calling out for Annie and pleading.

She was acting completely different from this morning, and it made me suspicious. What had Edward told her?

I was also grateful for the change, though, as I could not handle the sighs and mumbled words anymore. She couldn't even stand to be around me for five minutes, and I was scared I was driving her away.

Once she suggested she had supper with me, I was overjoyed. Maybe I could right my wrongs now that she was giving me the chance.

We had a great time during the feast, talking and laughing like old times. She was especially clingy that night, and once again I wondered what was it that she and my fiancé talked about.

We parted ways on the sixth floor; she went left with Jasper, Alice and Luna, while my friends and I went right.

We were all still pretty excited due to the feast, so we spent our energy by playing exploding snaps. Some played wizard chess, but I was not good at it at all and didn't want to be humiliated by Ron or Jasper.

It was past midnight when we went to bed and it took me a while to fall asleep due to the nap I took earlier. It may have been past one when I finally managed to fall asleep.

And it felt like seconds later I was being jostled by someone trying to wake me up.

"Bella, wake up!"

I could tell it was Rosalie's voice, but my sleep deprived body couldn't really respond.

"Bella, please, wake up. Something's wrong with your sister."

That made me jump from the bed.

"What? What happened, where is she?" I asked, shaking my head and wiping my eyes to try to wake up properly.

"I don't know. Edward just asked me to come get you since he can't. Put on some shoes and a coat so we can go." She ordered gently, already handing me my sneakers. I hurriedly put them on before slipping on a long coat. The castle was pretty cold at this time of the year.

"Edward, what's going on?" I asked as soon as we made it down the stairs.

He just put his arms around me, trying to calm me down.

"I'm not sure. Jasper is just outside, he told me Alice took Vivi to the hospital wing."

I looked up at him, alarmed by what he said.

"Can you take me to her?" I asked.

He didn't even blink as he picked me up and held me to him, walking towards the entrance corridor. As soon as we were out of the common room he took off full speed, going down the stairs so fast I had to close my eyes so I wouldn't feel sick.

It took less than a minute for us to reach the hospital wing; Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper trailing right behind us.

"Bella." Alice exclaimed as Edward put me down.

She was covered in blood, and my eyes went wide as I noticed it.

"It's not what you think. She just started trashing and screaming in her sleep and suddenly there was blood everywhere. Jasper went to get you while I brought her here. Madam Pomfrey and Carlisle are with her."

I let go of Edward and rushed inside but was not prepared for what I saw.

My sister lay in one of the beds looking lifeless, and I noticed a wide gash on her abdomen. It was not bleeding anymore, but looked horrible still.

"Isabella." Madam Pomfrey called me.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked in a whisper, never taking my eyes from her still form.

"I'm not sure yet." Madam Pomfrey replied gently. "I managed to stop the bleeding and will give her some blood replenishing potion soon. She had a lot of cuts all over her torso and legs, and I managed to close them all but the one on her abdomen. From my years of experience, I can tell it was some sort of poisoning."

"What?" I exclaimed. "What do you mean? Why would it take so long to work, then? I was with her throughout the whole feast, and I didn't see anything suspicious."

"I'm not sure what kind of poison was used yet, but as soon as Professor McGonagall gets here, we'll know. And it could have been from anything she may have touched today, even before supper. Was she with you all day?" She asked.

I sensed Edward approach us and leaned on him.

"No, I was with her all morning in Hogsmeade, but we went separate ways right before lunch. What time did she arrive in our common room?" I directed my question to Edward.

"It was around three-thirty. She seemed fine." He shrugged.

"Right, so that's about a four hour window. It could have been anything." I rubbed my eyes.

I could not believe this was happening.

"Is she taking anything?" Carlisle asked then. I hadn't even noticed him approach.

"The Dreamless potion." I told them. "But I'm taking it as well, and I'm just fine."

"That's not poisonous, don't worry." Madam Pomfrey reassured me. "Is there anything else?"

I thought of anything she could have drunk, but came up blank.

"No."

"Poppy, what seems to be the problem?" Professor McGonagall entered the room, looking rather worried.

Both women started to talk, and I left them so I could be near my sister.

Carlisle had tried to stitch the wound up, but I could tell it didn't work. Whatever caused this made the stitches dissolve.

Her face was contorted in pain, and if I hadn't seen her chest slowly rise up and down, I would think she was dead.

I brushed some hair out of her face, kissing her temple gently. She was really cold.

"What happened to you, baby?" I whispered. "I'm going to kill whoever did this to you. They won't get away with it, I promise you."

"Her mind is responding to you." Edward told me, sitting down next to me. "She's not really conscious, but her thoughts changed to you as soon as she heard your voice."

I nodded, not really sure if that was a good thing or not.

"She won't reply if I ask questions, right?"

He shook his head.

"It's like she's dreaming, a really weird dream for that matter. I didn't know you could turn into a mermaid, Bella." He smiled slightly, trying to lighten up the mood a little.

"She's always had the weirdest dreams." I agreed without a smile.

"They'll figure it out, love." He reassured me once again. "McGonagall is calling for Slughorn right now."

I sat down on his lap and rested my head on his shoulder, looking over my unconscious sister. I sure hoped they knew what was going on with her.

It was not fair; why her? Haven't we suffered enough?

"I'll find out who did this, Bella." He promised. "I don't care how long it takes, I will figure it out."

Slughorn waddled into the room then, looking every bit as exhausted as I felt.

"What happened?" He asked McGonagall.

"One of Ravenclaw's students was poisoned." She went on to explain what was going on.

"I'm here, now what happened?" Professor Flitwick barged in.

McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey started their explanations and theories all over again, but I didn't pay attention. I was focused on my sister's slow breathing, willing her eyes to open.

She looked so different as well. Her hair was short and bright green, a color I knew she wasn't too fond of, and her face was strange. Her nose was too big for it, and the shape of her eyes wasn't as it usually was.

I knew she would never change her appearance to something like that, and wondered if that was another side-effect of the poison.

I tried to think back to anything that could have happened during the day to cause this.

At Honeydukes we bought some candy, but I didn't see all she got because she left before me. I knew which ones she loved the most, so maybe I could check those over.

There were a lot of people in that store at the time, maybe someone slipped something in without her noticing.

I didn't know if she had stayed in Hogsmeade all afternoon before I saw her again, or if she had gone somewhere else.

"Edward, can you remember hearing anything when you got to Hogsmeade?" I turned my face so I could see him.

He thought about it for a while before replying. "There were some hateful thoughts about you as I passed by, but I didn't really think any of it. I didn't even notice who it was. I'm sure I can recognize their voice if I hear them again, though."

"What thoughts?" I asked.

"Jealousy, mostly. You're smart and popular and they see me as a prize of some sorts." He shrugged as I stared at him with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm not being conceited or anything." He read my expression right, then. "I'm just telling you what I heard. There were many hateful thoughts towards you throughout the day, but I didn't really hear anything truly alarming."

"Okay." I agreed quickly.

"Isabella." Professor McGonagall called and I was up in a second, looking at her. "Could you please go into your sister's room to see if there is anything suspicious there? You're probably the only one who can tell if there is something that should not be there."

I readily agreed, kissing my sister's forehead before following Alice. I declined her offer to take me up, needing the time to think and clear my head.

We ran into Esme on the second floor. Rosalie had just warned her of what was going on, and she was going to see if I needed anything.

When I told her what I was about to do, she volunteered to help me. With hers and Alice's sense of smell, we could probably find whatever it was that caused it.

The dorm room was a mess.

Vivi's bed had a huge blood pool on it, and her sheets were ripped. I took care of that before doing anything else. Just seeing my sister's blood made me feel sick.

I sat down on the floor next to her trunk, going through all her things. I knew she would hate me for it later, but I had to find what caused all this.

Everything in her trunk seemed in order, though. There were some clothes she didn't unpack, her old schoolbooks and potion ingredients. Esme and Alice smelled them all, but everything was fine.

I moved on to her wardrobe. Her clothes were all there, and I checked every pocket for anything, but found nothing. I looked for the clothes she was wearing this morning, and found a bag from Honeydukes next to them.

There were a few candies inside. A couple of chocolate frogs, some cauldron cakes and her favorite, Fizzing Whizzbees. I grabbed the whole bag to take back to the professors.

"This one smells a bit odd." Alice said as she handed me a half-eaten package of cauldron cake.

I added it to the bag before looking at her nightstand. I found her diary and a book, but nothing else.

"Bella?" I heard Luna's voice as we walked out of the room. "Is she okay?"

"I'm not sure, Luna." I told her sincerely. "They said she was poisoned. Hey, were you with her tonight?" I asked, remembering that it had been another five hours or so since we all retired to our common rooms.

"Yes. We sat by the fire for a while and then came up to sleep by midnight." She told us.

"Can you come with us to the hospital wing?" I pleaded.

"Of course. Anything to help." She replied in a serious voice, devoid of any of its dreamy quality at the moment.

Esme and Alice carried both of us back downstairs, my need to think long gone now. I needed to help my sister.

"Alice said this one smells weird." I told the professors as I handed them the half-eaten cake along with the bag from the store. "We were at Honeydukes this morning, and she bought them all today. Maybe someone slipped the poisonous one in while she was distracted?"

"We'll see. Thank you, Isabella." Professor Flitwick gave me a small smile.

"Luna said she was with Vivi in the evening." I pointed towards my sister's friend, and Flitwick walked towards her, asking question after question.

"Isabella." Professor McGonagall called and I looked up. "You may stay with your sister for as long as necessary. We are going to contact your mother tomorrow morning; hopefully we'll have figured it out until then. Professor Slughorn, if you please." She motioned for him to grab the cake from her, which he did a bit begrudgingly.

He still resented me for not living up to his expectations, but I found it extremely unprofessional and plain rude to show his unwillingness to help one of Hogwarts' students.

There was nothing else I could do for now so I went back to my spot to watch over my little sister.

After a while I heard Madam Pomfrey shoo almost everyone away, with only Edward and I allowed to stay.

Carlisle and Esme were going through all the books the school nurse had about poison, but so far they had found nothing. Since Carlisle had been studying on potions for a while now, he would be able to remember if he had come across something like that, but he hadn't.

Madam Pomfrey even tried some bezoar, but that didn't really help much. It did seem like her open wound was healing, but it could have been a trick of my mind.

I fell asleep sometime during the night, resting against my fiancé's body. When I woke up, Professor McGonagall was back and the sun was starting to rise.

"I have just owled your mother. The floo network is working properly, so I'd expect her in about an hour or so." She let me know. "Professor Slughorn is working on it as we speak, Isabella. We will figure out what happened." She promised.

I nodded, rubbing my eyes to rid them of sleep.

"I should go freshen up, then." I told Edward. "Mother will worry if she sees me like this."

He nodded, not even blinking as he just got up with me in his arms and ran up the stairs.

He waited in the common room as I changed and woke Hermione up to let her know what was going on. She had slept through the initial commotion.

"Why are you waking me up so early, Bell?" She mumbled, turning around.

"Vivi's in the hospital wing. She's been poisoned." I said in a low voice. That made her wake up right way.

"What? What happened?"

I explained to her all I knew and told her to tell the others. They would be allowed to see her later in the day.

Edward took me back to my sister, but there had been no change.

"Bella." I heard a very familiar voice call me about an hour later. My mother was rushing towards me, with my older sister and nephew right behind her. "Oh, baby, what happened?" She hugged me as tight as she could.

When she noticed Vivianna lying on the bed, pale as a ghost, she broke down in sobs. Edward helped her to a chair as I tried to calm her down.

"She's sleeping, Mum. Edward can hear her, she's going to be okay." I reassured her, but it went into deaf ears.

I left her in the capable hands of my mother-in-law, who had come as soon as she heard my mother's voice, and went to greet my sister.

"Hey, Dee." I kissed her cheek in greeting. "Hey, little guy." I whispered as I kissed my godson's chubby cheek. He had grown so much already.

"Hi." She replied. "Do they know what was it?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. They're looking for it, though."

She nodded. "Why her?"

A tear escaped her eyes but she composed herself before it turned into more.

"I don't know." I whispered back. "I'm going to kill whoever it was, though."

She nodded back, understanding my motivation.

I grabbed my nephew from her arms and cuddled him to me, needing some sort of reassurance right now. My big sister put her arm around me, silently showing her support as well.

"I was going to the Great Hall to have some breakfast. Would you care to join me?" I asked her, knowing we needed the distraction.

"Sure." She smiled slightly.

"I'll go with you." Edward chimed in, appearing next to me in a second.

Mother didn't want to leave her daughter, so we promised to bring back something for her, walking away in silence.

Dora kept her arm around me as I carried her son. Edward sensed I needed some time with my family and walked beside us in silent support.

I was bombarded with questions as soon as I reached my table, which made my nephew cry out.

"Shhh, little man, it's okay. They're just worried about auntie Vivi." I rocked him lightly and soon his cries stopped.

"Quieter this time, guys." I warned them as I finally sat down with Teddy on my lap.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

Edward took over for me and told them every detail of what had happened during the night, and how it was being handled.

Dora and I ate in silence and, after a while, my friends quietened down as well.

I noticed Edward scanning the room every now and then, seemingly listening in to conversations.

Emmett and Rosalie were doing the same, and I realized they were trying to figure out who was it that poisoned my sister.

Emmett shook his head minutely but I noticed. Whoever did it, they were not thinking or talking about it.

"Bella?" I heard a familiar voice approach. "What's going on? Is it true?"

Draco walked towards us showing no disgust into being near Gryffindor's table. I guess he really was trying to change after all.

"Yes." I let him know. "She's in the hospital wing."

"How did it happen?" He asked, swiftly ignoring everyone else that stared at us.

"I don't know. We think it was a poisoned cauldron cake."

He nodded stiffly. "If I hear anything, I promise I'll let you know."

He walked away then, murmuring something about family and it not being right. I just shrugged off his behaviour. Without his stupid friends following him around, he could actually be a pleasant guy.

Obviously the death of his best friend Crabbe had affected him deeply. Goyle had been arrested along with his father, but Draco and my aunt were luckier. My uncle was caught, though, so maybe that was another reason for the change of heart. They were finally free.

Everyone came back to the hospital wing with us, so they could see Vivi. I was hoping Hermione would recognize my sister's wounds, but she couldn't tell what had caused them.

Since there were no other patients, Madam Pomfrey allowed all of us to stay.

I could see Vivi's abdomen wound slowly healing. Maybe the bezoar was working after all; I could only hope.

The nurse shooed everyone out at ten, reminding them that tomorrow was Monday and they had to be up early. I was excused from classes.

It was around two in the morning when I was woken up. Like last night, I had snuggled up on my fiancé's lap to sleep.

Trying to get my bearings, I noticed both my mother and sister were still sleeping soundly on a couple of cots. My nephew was lightly snoring from a small cradle Madam Pomfrey had conjured.

"It's Slughorn and McGonagall." Edward whispered to me. "He thinks he knows what's caused this." He pointed towards my little sister with his chin.

I sighed in relief. Though her wound seemed to be healing, it was still too slow for my liking.

Edward had told me her mind was more alert than it was before. She wasn't just dreaming anymore, she could sometimes understand what we were talking about, even though she was still unable to respond back.

"Professor?" Edward called her attention.

"Oh, Isabella. You're awake, good. We may have found what happened to your sister. Shall we wake your mother for this?"

I shook my head. Mother had just fallen asleep not an hour ago and I didn't want to wake her up until I knew for sure they had concrete proof of what was wrong with my sister.

"All right, then. Professor Slughorn, if you please." She gave her permission for him to start talking.

"Right, okay. She wasn't poisoned on purpose." I looked at him like he was crazy. Someone tampered with her food! "Well, it wasn't supposed to be this bad. Someone slipped in some Manegro Potion mixed with the Shrinking Solution into the cake, and the mixture of all the ingredients caused this. The cauldron might have been dirty or old, and you know they are dangerous if not cleaned correctly.

"Anyways, it was obviously meant as a harmless prank that went wrong." He concluded.

"Harmless prank?" I shot back, not caring at the moment that he was a teacher and I should respect him. "My sister is lying in a bed with her stomach half-open and in a coma, and you say it's a harmless prank gone wrong?"

I was on my feet, looking up at him in disgust.

"I didn't mean it like that." He defended himself, hands up as he tried to remedy what he had just said.

"That's enough, Professor." McGonagall cut him off. "Maybe you should go get some sleep before your classes in the morning." She suggested, or rather ordered him to leave.

I let out a sigh of relief when he was out of my sight.

"I am sorry for his behaviour, Isabella." She apologized. "I know how he can be."

I nodded, accepting it.

"He was right about the potions, though. We cannot pinpoint how exactly a potion that would make your hair grow uncontrollably and another that would make you shrink would somehow make cuts and scratches appear all over your sister's body.

"It most likely was something to do with the cauldron as well as the mixing of all the ingredients. Maybe they made one potion with all the ingredients instead of two separate ones. We will only know once we find the perpetrator. Rest assured that they will be punished for this." She smiled tightly.

The bags under her eyes were very visible and I knew she got little to no sleep over this.

"Thank you, Professor. I'll be sure to let Mother know as soon as she wakes up."

"Madam Pomfrey is working with Professor Sprout at the moment to concoct an antidote. They may know which of the ingredients weren't supposed to be mixed together and will have it done by Tuesday at the latest."

She bowed her head a little as she left, and I sighed loudly.

"She didn't trust Slughorn to make the antidote." Edward told me. "His mind is not protected, and I saw their conversation. She was not pleased with the way he treated you, but she knows he's too power-hungry to care."

I fell back asleep sometime later, and was woken up by a loud cry.

Teddy was hungry and wanted everyone to know. Luckily Dora was already awake and had his food ready, but I wasn't able to go back to sleep.

I retold them all McGonagall had said and they were as relieved as I was. Mother declined my offer to shower, but Dora picked Teddy up and followed me to my common room, Edward keeping up right behind us.

It was a good thing Dee thought ahead and brought a small bag with a few change of clothes for everyone.

I was the first one to shower, washing my hair as quickly as I could and changing into clean clothes.

Dora had bathed my nephew while I showered, so I watched him while she got ready.

He was so much like my sister, it was scary. The only thing that resembled his father was his somewhat square jaw.

His hair was green now, most likely due to my sister, and his eyes were bright yellow. He was still adorable, though.

When we were done, we went down to have breakfast. I was able to catch my friends before they left for class and updated them on my sister. They were all relieved she would be fine.

Edward still did not know who it was that hurt my sister, but we would find out.

Later that day, after classes were done, my friends came to visit once again, bringing Luna along with them. They stayed until curfew once again, all excited that Vivi seemed to be responding to everything more than yesterday.

Edward said she was now replying to a few questions in her mind, just in an unusual way.

At midnight, Professor Sprout showed up, sporting a smile on her round face. I hoped that meant she had good news.

"It's ready. We can administer it now." She told us.

Edward was still with me, and Teddy was sound asleep. Mum and Dora kept glancing worriedly towards my little sister; Carlisle and Esme were the only other ones there, and they smiled reassuringly my way, trying to calm me down.

Madam Pomfrey came in with a small vial in her hand. She gently asked if we could prop my sister up so she could make her drink the potion.

Immediately I was by her side, gently lifting her torso up and sitting down behind her so I could support her weight better. Her head lolled to the side and I softly propped it up with my hand.

That could have easily been done with my wand, but I wanted to feel useful for once. Mum smiled lightly at me, understanding why I did what I did, and nodded once.

Slowly, Madam Pomfrey poured the disgusting looking amber concoction down my sister's throat.

"Lay her back down." She whispered to me once the whole vial was emptied.

I did as told, gently putting her head back down on my lap, caressing her hair as we waited.

Professor Sprout reassured us that she had put a lot of thought into what could have gone wrong, and was ninety percent sure the potion would work.

When I saw Vivi's wound finally seal completely, including the scarring tissue, I believed the teacher.

Slowly her cheeks began to color and fill up. Her lips weren't blueish anymore, and her hair went back to its original dark brown color.

She took a deep breath and hummed lightly while turning her head, and we all let out the breath we had all seemed to hold as her eyes started to flutter.

"She's waking up." Edward warned us. "It seems she doesn't remember much of what happened."

"Belly?" Vivi mumbled so low, I almost missed it.

"Yes, baby, it's me." I stroked her hair.

"Why are you spinning?" She asked, which made me suppress my chuckle.

"Maybe you should close your eyes for a while." I suggested.

She did as told but kept talking. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"The hospital wing." I explained. "What's the last thing you remember?"

She took a deep breath, her dry throat making it difficult for her to talk.

"Dee, some water?" I asked my big sister, and she quickly showed up with a full glass.

Vivi drank it in two big gulps.

"Thanks." Her voice was a bit stronger. "Well, we left the feast, and Luna and I stayed up until about midnight or something. We had some treats before going to bed. And that's it."

I looked up at Edward, and he confirmed with a nod that she didn't recall anything else.

"Oh, my baby." Mum walked forward. "I'm so glad you're okay."

She kissed Vivi's cheek loudly and stroked her hair, hugging her close.

I could tell my sister was getting a bit overwhelmed.

"Mum." I whispered. She let go of Vivi right away, taking a deep breath to calm herself down.

Dora placed a kiss on our younger sister's head before going to pick up Teddy, who was starting to stir.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" She asked, looking up at me.

"You were poisoned." I blurted out.

Her eyebrows furrowed in a way that showed her confusion.

"How?"

"We think it was one of the cauldron cakes you bought earlier. Do you remember anyone bumping into you or doing anything even remotely suspicious?" I asked her.

She just kept shaking her head in denial, and I knew I would not get anything out of her at the moment; I knew not to push as she had just woken up.

"Okay, okay." I soothed her. "We'll talk about this later." I reassured her.

She sighed and closed her eyes once again.

Madam Pomfrey came back then and had me help my sister sit up so she could have some blood replenishing potion. She wasn't as pale as a few hours ago, but she was far from looking healthy.

I was so distracted with my younger sister I barely noticed when Dora sat down next to me.

"Thank Merlin you're alright, sis. It's so unfair."

She started to talk a mile a minute, and I looked around out of habit, just to notice my Edward sitting in a corner, my nephew propped on his lap. Edward was talking to him and entertaining the baby as if he had always done so.

Teddy was almost six months old already, and he could hold himself still for a while, but I needn't worry about it. Edward had him in a firm but gentle grip.

My godson must have thought something, because the next thing I know Edward nodded and bent his head down so Teddy could pat it. Two seconds later, and my nephew had bronze hair just like my love.

I knew the six-month-old toddler could not properly communicate, but it shouldn't be that difficult to understand him if you had the gift of mind-reading.

Edward must have felt my gaze for he lift up his head and winked. Esme soon joined him and both of them were able to distract my nephew for a while.

Mum and Dora kept talking almost nonstop for a while. It took our friends showing up after classes for them to shut up.

The silence was heaven.

And short lived.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Luna were there, and along with Mum and Dee I knew I would not have a moment's peace for a while.

Swiftly I walked away from them and found Edward still with Teddy.

My older sister would just leave our side to change her son's diaper and feed him, but Edward took care of him the whole day.

Edward sensed my distress and so the three of us ended up walking around the castle, trying to find a quiet place to escape.

"Ba-ba-ba." Teddy gurgled loudly, clenching his tiny fists in my direction.

I pulled him from Edward's arms and held him to me.

"Where you calling for me, sweetie?"

Edward chuckled. "He was, actually."

We had stopped in front of the Room of Requirements. I focused on thinking about a room for us and continued my questions when the door showed up.

"How can you know?" I asked as we sat down on one of the bean bags spread around. There were some adequate toys near us so Teddy would have something to do.

I sat him next to my feet and placed some of the toys near him.

"It's easy." Edward explained as he snuggled close to me. "His mind is very simple right now. He understands quite a bit, actually. He showed himself pushing my hair so I knew he wanted to touch it.

"Your face was in his mind when he said 'Ba'. He remembered the sound of his mother's voice calling you and tried to emulate it."

"That's fascinating." I replied, watching my nephew chew on a toy. He would start teething soon.

"Children usually are." He sighed, putting me closer to him.

"Did you ever think about it? Having kids, I mean."

"Sometimes." He confessed. "More when I was human. It was difficult to think much about it with Rosalie in the house. Her thoughts were too painful sometimes and it made me realize it was never going to happen."

"Do you still want it?" I wondered.

"I've always wanted a child, Bella. Much more so after I met you. She would be beautiful, just like her mother." He smiled sadly down at me. "But I cannot have children, my love, you know that."

I shrugged it off.

That was what I thought as well, before I did some more research on vampires.

In our third and fourth years we had learned a bit about them, but I needed to dig a lot deeper to find most information I have now.

Witches and wizards have been around for as long as vampires, though our world was still more protected than theirs. It was a lot easier to recognize the vampires due to their skin and eye color.

Wizards have been studying different species for a long time, and had come up with many different material for each of them.

I was able to find a few books on vampires in the library, and even managed to get permission to browse the Restricted area when I told our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor that I wanted some more information on them. He even suggested a couple of books.

With my research I was able to find out some information I was sure not even Carlisle knew about.

It was difficult to read upon it all without making Edward suspicious, which was why I usually spent an hour reading before going to bed. I just put a fake cover on top of the original one to fool Rosalie, and got the job done. I knew a spell wouldn't work on any of the library's books, so I had to improvise.

"Bella?" Edward brought me back from my thoughts.

"Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. What did you say?"

"I asked if you have ever thought about it? You're pretty good with children." He smiled at my nephew, who was now babbling away to a stuffed dragon as his little head and body rested against my legs. "Children know when a person is good, they are drawn to them. It comes from within you." He told me.

"This little boy loves you, Bella, though he cannot express it in any other way other than smiling and laughing at the moment. I could only imagine how greater that love would be were him your own child."

His expression was so heartbreaking, I had to remedy that.

"What if..." I started.

He looked down, silently encouraging me.

"What if I tell you there is a way for us to have a child. Would you want that?"

* * *

_Thought I'd end it there, or else it would be a monster chapter. _

_I'm going to try to update soon, but I'm going to the beach in a couple of weeks, and there's no internet connection there. Hopefully I'll be done before then. _

_In the meantime, please review?  
_


	22. Chapter 22

_Hey, I'm back! Sorry I couldn't post before traveling. But now I'm back with internet connection and a brand new chapter for you!_

_Hope you enjoy it. _

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J K Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi._

* * *

Chapter 22

"What do you mean, Bella? It's not possible, you should know that." He rebutted right away.

"Listen to me." I glared at him, tired of his negativity. Why did he have to shoot me down first before reasoning and listening?

"But-"

"No, stop diminishing my opinions without hearing everything first. I'm so tired of it." I almost yelled at him, but stopped myself when I felt my nephew's back lean against my leg once again.

"I..." He had a look of surprise in his face before he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Bella. You're right, I do that and I'm sorry."

"Thank you." My expression softened as I saw his pained eyes. "As I was saying, there is a possibility that we could have children. I found it in a book one Nicolas Flamel wrote about a hundred years ago.

"In it he said that while traveling through the globe for his research he came across a creature that was neither human nor wizard; he was curious and asked the half-human man for some information.

"After showing himself as a wizard, the man helped him where he could, and told about his species." I narrated.

By that time, Teddy got tired of his toys and was motioning for me to pick him up, which I did more than willingly. He snuggled onto my chest and his tiny fist got hold of my robe before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Go on." I noticed I had intrigued Edward by now.

"He was a hybrid." I continued in a lower voice so it wouldn't disturb my slumbering godson. Edward would hear me just fine. "Half-human, half-vampire."

His eyes went wide. "Half-vampire? How is that even possible?"

"According to the book I'm reading, his mother was human. It has to do with male and female anatomy. For a woman to carry a child, her body has to change to accommodate the baby, so it is just not possible for female vampires to get pregnant since they are frozen in time.

"But a man is always the same. He can father a child at any age, there are no restrictions and his body doesn't change like a woman's. It grows accordingly, but it's not even a third of what women go through. So basically you still have the ability to have children because... well." I blushed and looked away.

I knew vampires had sex, I was just not really that confident or comfortable to talk about it with my fiancé. And I was planning on marrying him.

"Right, could I see this book?" He asked, letting the information sink in and not even registering my embarrassment.

"It's in my room, I'll lend it to you when we get there." He nodded. "There are some things in there that you may disagree, so I'd like to discuss those with you later." I compromised.

I knew he would be upset about the mother dying. There was just not enough information on that, since Flamel only ever encountered that one hybrid and the half-vampire had no idea if there were others like him. So maybe if there were, the woman could have survived. That was debatable.

Also, our child would be half-_wizard _and half-vampire, so they would have an advantage.

I went quiet as I noticed Edward lost in thoughts. Teddy was fast asleep on my lap, snoring lightly as his mouth formed a perfect circle. He was adorable and after spending time with him like this I could only imagine what it would be like to hold my own child in my arms one day.

We stayed for another twenty minutes before going back to the hospital wing. It was past visiting hours so it would be quieter; still not as quiet as I would have liked.

"Isabella." I heard my older sister call out once we reached the door.

"What?" I whispered so I wouldn't wake up Teddy.

"Couldn't you have let me know where you were? With my son?" She asked in a lower voice once she noticed the slumbering baby.

"Sorry." I shrugged. "He and I were tired of the noise, so we went someplace quiet. Edward even went with us." I smiled sweetly at her. She was not truly mad, but I could have told her I was taking her son away for a few hours. "You were distracted and we wanted peace."

She sighed but said nothing more.

"He was no trouble, we went to the Room of Requirement and there were some toys for him. He was quite fond of a plush dragon, maybe I'll buy him one for Christmas." I went on to tell her he had fallen asleep about half an hour ago and that he wasn't hungry.

She let me put him down on his temporary bed before hugging me.

"Thanks. Being a single mother is just too much sometimes." She whispered.

"Anytime." I replied, letting her go.

Finally I made my way to my younger sister, who was looking extremely better. Mother and Vivi were still chattering away.

"Bee." Vivianna smiled as she saw me.

Edward had excused himself to go talk to Carlisle, no doubt about what I had told him. I would catch him later.

"Hey, baby. Are you better?" I asked

She nodded with a smile on her face. "Where were you?"

"Edward, Teddy and I went away for a while. No offense or anything, but the three of you together are loud and I wanted some quiet. Our nephew is excellent company for that." I smiled.

"I bet." She replied.

"So, when will you be able to go back to classes?" I wanted to know

"Madam Pomfrey said I should be as good as new by tomorrow. She said I'm still too weak because of the blood loss, and I have to drink that awful blood replenishing potion a few more times until tomorrow afternoon, and then I'll be free."

I sighed in relief.

"Everyone is on alert now. All the vampires are listening in on conversations and Edward's trying to find anything in their minds, but so far they found nothing. Draco even offered his help."

Mother was shocked by that, though I was not as surprised.

"Cissy sent an owl to him and he came by to give me this letter from her. She said she would be here if she could, but thought it better to leave it like that. They're really trying."

I nodded. Without the mastermind behind all evilness, as I sometimes call my beloved uncle Lucius, Aunt Narcissa and Draco could actually be pleasant company. Of course they still looked down on people who they deemed inferior, but that was not something that would just go away.

We talked for a little while. Mother, Dora and Teddy would be leaving soon, so we were making the most of it. Now that Vivi was out of danger and almost healed, there was no need for them to stay here.

I could see these past couple of days put a strain on my mother's health. She's not young anymore and sometimes she forgets that. The bags under her eyes were so prominent, and she was also thinner than usual.

With a heavy heart we bade them goodbye at around midnight. They would go to McGonagall's office to floo back home.

We promised once again to go home for Christmas break, and they left.

Vivi fell asleep shortly after, and soon I followed her, using one of the cots as a bed for the night.

I was still excused for classes so I didn't worry about waking up on time. It wasn't needed anyways, since Madam Pomfrey woke Vivi up bright and early. Since she had to be up so early, she thought I should as well. It was not a pretty wake up call.

Once she took all the potions to make her better, we talked for a while. It was refreshing to be able to chat without anyone butting in.

We still had the unresolved fight from before the banquet to discuss, and what she and Edward had talked about, but for now we stayed on light subjects.

She was released that afternoon, and I walked with her back to her common room. She still didn't know I had gone through her stuff, and I was expecting her tantrum.

"I missed my bed." She sighed as she plopped down onto it.

I chuckled. It felt good to see her as normal as she used to be.

"Vivs, I should let you know I had to go through your stuff the night you got sick. We had to find if you had eaten something. I'm sorry, I promise I didn't read anything and I put everything back into their place." I apologized quickly.

She hated people messing her things, so there was good reason to be scared.

She sighed loudly and looked around. "Promise you didn't read my diary?" She asked after a couple of seconds.

"Promise. Alice and Esme were here as well, and as soon as we found the funny-smelling food we stopped searching. I did take the whole bag you bought at Honeydukes to them, so you don't have any more candy. Sorry."

She groaned. "It's okay. I wouldn't be able to eat any of those things anyways."

I nodded. That was understandable.

"I better go." I pointed to the door with my thumb. "Edward's waiting for me. We have some things to discuss." She nodded. "Oh, and don't think I won't talk to you about the change of heart on Halloween."

She knew what I was talking about, but for now there was no need to stress her out. She was still recovering, no matter how well she looked.

I found my fiancé waiting patiently for me in our common room, sitting by the fireplace. He still looked pensive, and I wondered if he had talked about it with Carlisle after all.

"Have you been waiting long?" I asked as I approached him.

He shook his head, even though I knew he'd been here for a while. I had seen Carlisle at the infirmary before Vivi and I left.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." I apologized. "Would you like me to find that book for you now?"

He nodded silently so I kissed his forehead and went up. It took about five minutes to locate the correct book as I had forgotten which title I had put on the fake cover.

"I didn't finish reading it all, but I don't think there's anything more that I would need to know. This wizard sure likes to brag." I joked as I placed the book in his hands.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

I sat down next to him. The room was empty since everyone was still in class so we had another hour or so to talk.

"Are you sure you're okay, Edward? You are so quiet." I noted.

"I'm fine, Bella. Just... you gave me a lot to think about, and I think I need some time to really understand it all."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Should I go?" I asked heartbroken. I thought he would be happy about being able to have children, but apparently I was wrong.

"No, no. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm just a bit overwhelmed. Stay with me." He pleaded. "I'll read the book while you're asleep."

I nodded, sitting down on his lap. We talked about nothing relevant for the next hour, until my friends came back from class.

Hermione handed me a pile of homework I set on doing right away. It would take me a while to get it all done, but thankfully most of them were not due for another week.

I was not able to finish everything, but I got a good head start. I would catch up fully on the weekend when I had more time.

When I met Edward the next morning, he looked even more withdrawn than before. He must have read the book last night, and I think I could even tell what part was bothering him the most.

"Morning, baby." I whispered as I kissed his cheek. "Are you better?"

He shook his head, but took hold of my hand so at least I knew he wasn't mad. We had breakfast in silence and that was mostly how our day went.

The rest of my vampire family had no idea what was going on with Edward, so they just decided to ignore it. They let me know that whoever poisoned my sister was not talking, at least not within their range. The castle was too big and held too much magic for their senses to 'work' properly at all times.

All our common rooms were protected, so the sound could not be heard outside the main entrance. That was so other students wouldn't be able to find out the rooms by accident.

The day passed by without any incidents, which was a nice change.

After dinner, Edward asked me to go talk to him. We returned to the Room of Requirement, where we could talk freely with no interruptions.

"I guess you know what part of the whole process I didn't like." He started right off after we took our seats.

I chose to sit down in front of him, so we could see each other properly and have our space. I knew his temper, and I didn't want it directed at me.

"Yes. She died." I put it simply.

"I don't want you to go through all the trouble if it's going to kill you in the end. Do you think I would be able to love something that killed you, Bella? How could you even consider the possibility of getting pregnant knowing the risks?" He ranted.

I sat quietly, letting him get it all off his chest. I knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him, but I had a few cards up my sleeve. I would get my way.

"Not even considering the process of creating said baby. You know how difficult it is for me to control myself with you. You are breakable, Bella. One wrong move and I could crush your skull. I have to think of every little move I make, how would that work when we both give in to our lust?"

I kept quiet.

"I'm not going to risk your life. I agreed to change you when the time is right, but I will not do anything that may compromise your health or your safety. You'll always come first."

He finished his speech, which seemed a bit practiced, before pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes tightly. He was nervous.

"Edward." I sighed. Logic would win this time. Or so I hoped.

"Look at me." I ordered gently. He sighed before complying and I could see in just how much pain he was. "I have read the same things you did." I started.

"First of all, there is not enough information on all that happened. The hybrid's aunt could only tell so much, and the man wouldn't be able to recall his birth. But it was enough for me to have hope.

"Once I knew for sure you wanted to have a child, I promised myself I would give you one. I'm not going to back down." I said with finality.

"Bella." He sighed.

"Don't interrupt me." I gritted my teeth. He nodded.

"You forget I am not a human. Edward, if anything happens, I can be healed a lot quicker than a human. It only takes a flick of the wand or a vial of potion. If I lose blood, I don't need to have a transfusion.

"The child grows abnormally fast, but we know it won't die. The hybrid was about fifty, but Flamel described him as looking no older than eighteen."

"What about the conception. You do know how babies are made, right?" He said sarcastically.

I ignored his jab.

"Yes, Edward. I know you won't hurt me. We have progressed so much in our relationship these past few months, and you didn't even notice."

"What do you mean?"

"We talk more. We kiss more, and they last longer. We have full snogging sessions and you touch me freely, without fear. It's not going to be that different, love." I reasoned. "You only have to trust yourself. I _know_ you'd never hurt me. You need to start believing it as well."

"I..." He seemed lost for words. "Bella, I don't know."

I could tell my logic was working; his eyes told me all I needed to know. He was reconsidering it.

"Also, it's something I really want Edward. After spending time with my nephew I realized just how much I would love to have a child of my own. I know it's something you want as well, why are you being so difficult about it?"

He huffed. "I'm not willing to trade you for something that might kill you."

"Weren't you listening?" I almost yelled. "It'll be almost impossible for me to be killed by my _child_, Edward. My mother is great with healing spells, and so is my sister. I could prepare every single potion I know to keep me from getting sick. I am not a mere human." I punctuated in the end.

"I know that." He rebutted.

"Well, it doesn't seem like it. I'm trying to get you to listen to me, but there's always something you find wrong. You're not the all-knowing you think you are, Edward. Just because you can read minds does not make you more knowledgeable of things."

He looked at me stunned.

"I want this. I want a baby. I want to hear their little laughs and their little voices calling us Momma and Daddy. I want to see them grow up and maybe even come to Hogwarts. Why can't you see that?" I started weeping, heartbroken once again.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, kneeling down in front of me. "It was very rude of me to say those things to you. I just don't want to lose-"

"You're not losing anything, only gaining. One more person to love, and who will love you with all their hearts. Don't you want that, Edward?"

"Yes. Yes, I do want that. I'm sorry I made it seem like I didn't. Don't cry, sweetheart. We'll figure it all out. I promise you I'll try." He finally conceded.

"Thank you." I sobbed into his shoulder, hugging myself as close to him as I could. "I love you so much, Edward, and I just want to be with you in every way. And if we have proof of our love in the shape of a child, it would just make me the happiest woman alive."

It seemed I cried myself to sleep because I woke up in my bed with no memory of getting there. Rosalie must have been around to carry me into my room. Sometimes this rule of no boys in girls' room got to be too much. I wanted my Edward to tuck me in like he used to.

I finally finished all my homework on Sunday, but that meant I wasn't able to truly talk to my sister. I knew she was fine, but I needed some answers.

We were all able to get back to our routines by the next week. With Vivi in the hospital wing, it was a bit difficult to talk to my friends. They understood, of course, but I still missed them.

I also paid attention to all classes, not letting anything or _anyone_ distract me. I had missed so much, and didn't want to fall behind.

Professor Slughorn was worse than ever, apparently mad at me for having his authority diminished in front of others. I couldn't care less about him, since his comment on my sister's poisoning left me wondering how no one had seen the calculating evilness behind him. Or maybe he was just a coward.

Because of that mishap, he picked on me for answers even though I had not raised my hands. It was getting out of hand, and if he continued doing it, I would have to go over his head straight to McGonagall.

The rest of the teachers were nicer, but that didn't mean I was let go easily because of what happened. They understood, but my workload had been the same as everyone else.

By the end of the week, I was so tired I could sleep the weekend away. I got used to waking up when I wanted to, so getting my body to cooperate and go back to waking up early was truly difficult.

Edward didn't broach the subject of children again, but he was a lot more carefree now that he had a whole week to think through it all.

And since we've spent all our free time together, I left him on Saturday morning to talk to my sister. It's been too long since we held a proper conversation and I missed her.

With a few stolen goods from the breakfast table, I walked to the castle's ground, going to a small place Vivi had found a few years ago. It was almost like a small cave, so we would be protected from the cold and wind.

She was already there when I reached the place, with a small blue fire like the ones Hermione loves to conjure so much. The cave was already warmed a little bit, and I smiled gratefully at my sister for doing this.

"Thanks for this."

"I told you we were going to talk." I retorted. "Have you eaten?" I offered a few of the treats I got to her.

She grabbed a piece of cake while I munched on crackers.

It was silent for a while.

"Bee, you know I hate people chewing next to me." Vivi shuddered as I ate.

It was something I had forgotten since we didn't really sit this close together to eat. She kept her distance whenever she could.

"Sorry." I whispered. "Just talk a bit, I know that helps, right?"

She just could not stand the sound of people chewing or swallowing near her, it gave her chills. I guess it started with Grandma Tonks, since she had denture that was a bit loose and a bit too loud. It wasn't nice, but I didn't develop such hatred to it as Vivi did.

"Yeah, I just try to avoid it as much as I can, you know?" She kept saying.

"How do you handle in the Great Hall?" I kept the small talk.

"It's always so loud in there, it just muffles the sounds. It's been a while since we sat this close to eat anyways."

We continued with the talk while we ate, and as soon as we were done our moods changed.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what happened that day before the Halloween feast?" I let it out in a voice just higher than a whisper.

"Do I have to?" She whispered back.

"No. But you were acting like you hated me in the morning, and then I wake up to you crying."

"I don't hate you. I never did." She confessed. "It's just that you were always asking how I was, if I was taking the potion, if I could sleep properly, and it got on my nerves, Bee. I'm seventeen, not seven."

"I'm sorry." I knew I was suffocating her, but I just couldn't stop it. I had gone so long without her, anything small that happened mattered to me.

"It's fine now." She shrugged.

"Why? What happened? I know Edward must have told you something that day."

She sighed. "He did." She confirmed what I already knew. "He told me about how you were when they met, that you put on a good show but inside you were suffering. He let me know about the nightmares, and the one that was so bad you screamed my name.

"It was clear in the way he spoke that you were hurting more than you let on. He also said you only told him about me because he asked who I was."

"I remember." I whispered. That was one of the worst nightmares I had.

"He made me see that you hurt just as much as I did. That being overbearingly concerned was your way to cope with everything. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, but I just didn't think it was fair you knew all that happened, but you never let me know about you."

"I'm sorry."

"I know that. What else haven't you told me?"

I took a deep breath.

"There's nothing much left to say. I was miserable, and then I focused on finding you, but it turned out I wasn't good at that. It felt like I was giving up on you when I convinced Dad to escape to the States. And when I met Edward, a part of the whole in my chest healed.

"But there was no way I could forget about you. Every day I planned new ways of getting information. I thought of everything, but I didn't know where to start. Obviously you would be on the last place I imagined.

"I learned to live with the nightmares. I slept less and didn't feel hungry, but I was trying. For you. The rest of the family gave up, but I wouldn't. I knew you were alive somewhere, so I endured it all.

"Every day it hurt more. Edward was there, but he didn't know anything yet. And when he learned the truth he promised he would help me."

"Did he?"

"Yes. Well, as much as he could, anyways. And after you were found, he helped me with the many books on trauma, explaining all he could to me so I could 'treat' you. He was the one thing that kept me going, other than you."

"As I said that day, he is an angel." She had scooted closer to me, resting her head on my shoulders.

"Yes, he is." I chuckled. "You have no idea how happy I am to be able to just hold you again."

"Me, too, sissy." To prove her point she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Now it's only moving forward. There's no reason in dwelling in the past. We can't change it and it's only hurting us. So how about a deal? I promise not to pester you every day with questions if you promise to let me know if something's troubling you?"

"Okay." She agreed. "You can ask questions, Bee. I don't mind, just not all the time. I need you to trust me to go to you if I need it. I'm an adult."

"I do. I trust you, Vivi. I just love you too much, and seeing you in pain hurts me." I confessed.

"I love you, too."

Finally we had cleared the air. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and I finally had my sister back.

The week passed by in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, we had the first game of the Quidditch season. Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.

To say I was nervous was an understatement.

After a whole year without Quidditch, everyone was just way too excited for the season to begin. It was hard to hold the responsibility of being the first team to play, but we were ready.

We have been practicing whenever we could. The team had minor changes and we were still in tune with each other. The hardest part was to get the beaters in sync with the rest of us, but I think they were quite fine now. Except for Dean's nonstop flirting.

I didn't eat anything for breakfast, I just couldn't. My stomach was in knots and when I saw both Ron and Ginny looking rather pale as well, I knew I wasn't the only one.

My vampire family was so excited to be able to watch a true game. They had purchased a few things in Hogsmeade to help them cheer. There were all decked in gold and red, since they were all rooting for us.

Vivi's hair was red with golden streaks, the same as mine right now. Emmett went as far as painting a small red and golden flag on his cheeks. He looked crazed, but adorable at the same time.

When the Great Hall started to empty, Harry summoned the team to follow him. It didn't take long for us to reach the field.

"Good luck." Edward whispered as he followed the rest of his family towards the bleachers.

I could barely nod at him; I was that nervous.

"Guys." Harry called attention once we all assembled inside the locker room. "Just remember all we practiced. Bella, Ginny and Eloise, plan your plays in advance so you know what's happening in the game." We nodded, already knowing what we were going to do.

"Dean, Jimmy. Focus on the Bludgers. Don't let the other team intimidate you, and please do not let any of our own get hit." The guys nodded, both looking at Harry wide-eyed.

"Ron, I know you can do it. You're the best out there." Ron nodded once, not finding his voice to reply.

"Let's show them why we are Gryffindors. We will not give up. Right?"

"Right!" Everyone exclaimed as we all put one hand on top of Harry's.

"One, two, three, Gryffindor!" We all yelled lifting our hands in the air, then clapping and yelling to get our bodies pumped up.

Quidditch season was about to begin.

* * *

_I do hate people chewing and/or swallowing next to me. It gives me chills, and I don't know, it's horrible. lol_

_Anyways, hope you liked it!_

_Can I still beg for reviews? Cause I will, ya know? Please?  
_


	23. Chapter 23

_I know it's been a reeeeeeally long time, and I'm really sorry. Work has been crazy (do you have any idea how hard it is to teach kids that do not want to be there?) and inspiration took a while to come back. I'm also trying to get more hours at a new job I hope to get, so time will be scarce =( I'm sorry, I promise to try not to go so long without an update again. _

_If anyone's still reading this, I hope you enjoy._

_Disclaimer: S. Meyer and J. K. Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi. _

* * *

Chapter 23

EPOV

The atmosphere at the field was incredible. I had never in my existence heard so many minds thinking of one single thing at the same time. There was not one single person deviating from Quidditch in their minds, and it was absolutely astounding to hear them all.

Through time I had gathered that Quidditch was quite a big deal here in England. From the books Bella lent me I could tell it wasn't the main sport in the United States, but quite well known in the wizarding community around the globe, especially the United Kingdom.

I was anxious to see my Bella play. On one hand, I knew she was good enough to be on the team; on the other hand, I had seen them practice and knew it was a brutal game. The stories her friends told us did not help much. I worried she would be injured.

She had tried to assuage those fears, but with a shrug let me know it was highly possible she would indeed be hurt and it was part of the game.

I was trying not to dwell on that much, but it was difficult.

Jasper looked like he was going to burst with excitement, but for the first time he didn't seem to care. He would not miss this game for anything; at least the feelings were positive.

As we found a good spot I tried to listen to Bella as she got ready for the game, but the voices were so loud and coming from everywhere that I just couldn't find her low little tone.

Since it was November we were all bundled up like the rest of the school. Though we didn't need it, it was rather sunny and we didn't want our skin to hinder anyone's abilities to play. So we were all wearing long-sleeved shirts, scarves, gloves and hats that created a small shade on our faces, all in Gryffindor's colors.

The bleachers slowly filled up with students and teachers alike, everyone looking forward to the first game of the season.

It seemed like forever until the narrator – a fourth year from Ravenclaw – announced the teams were ready to make an appearance.

Both teams slowly walked on the field. Bella looked positively green, and so did most of her team. Harry approached Madam Hooch along with Hufflepuff's captain. They shook hands and nodded towards the teacher. She kicked open a box and the two bludgers flew up, going around in all directions.

The Snitch was next, and I accompanied it until it disappeared under the bleachers. With the Quaffle in hand, Madam Hooch blew the whistle, and fourteen people flew into the air taking their positions.

Everyone cheered as the game started. One of Hufflepuff's chasers got the Quaffle first and threw it to his teammate. They kept going back and forth until Ginny intercept a pass, flying on the opposite direction.

A Bludger was making its way towards her, but Dean hit it towards the Hufflepuff seeker. She passed the Quaffle to Eloise, who threw it on the direction of the right hoop, scoring the first goal to Gryffindor.

"Ten points to Gryffindor." The narrator exclaimed.

It wasn't long until Ginny got the Quaffle back to their team once again, but this time it was Bella who scored. I screamed as loud as I could, trying to show my support.

This game was exhilarating. The way they all moved, like they knew one another so well they seemed like reading each other's minds. Hufflepuff's team was good, but we could all see Gryffindor's superiority.

"Gryffindor's leading the game sixty to twenty." The narrator reminded everyone of the score.

Apart from Harry, who was a bit above everyone, the rest of the team was so active they would seem like blurs to everyone. Of course my family and I could see them as clear as anything else, but there was no denying they were fast.

Bella's broom was amazing, and it responded to her every touch. I could tell the difference from the one the Hufflepuff keeper had, which was slow; it was one of the reasons he couldn't reach most throws.

Ginny was amazing as well, flying like no other. She and Bella were so in sync it was amazing to watch.

Eloise was great as well, but she still wasn't as in tune as the other two chasers. She would get there with time, though.

I could see the Snitch flying a few feet above Harry, but as per McGonagall's instructions, we were not allowed to make any sort of signals to the seekers, due to our improved sight. It was an automatic reaction for the students to point, but they couldn't tell precisely where it was, so the rule only applied to us.

One of Hufflepuff's chasers named Munslow ran right up to Ginny and almost made her fall off her broom. She retaliated quite fast, getting the Quaffle back to Gryffindor.

The game was still going steadily, until I noticed Harry shoot up on his broom; he had finally spotted the Snitch.

Around us students pointed and yelled excitedly, waiting for it to end. Most of them forgot there was a game still happening. Bella had just scored another goal for Gryffindor and was high-fiving her teammates, which was why she didn't see the Bludger heading straight to her.

It happened so fast, even for my sharp eyes. The second the bludger made contact with her arm, I heard the snap of broken bones. She cried out, but the crowd was cheering loudly so no one heard.

Harry had caught the Snitch, ending the game and giving Gryffindor their first victory. Three hundred to fifty was the final score. Everyone was celebrating, but I only had eyes for my Bella.

Running as fast as I could, I reached her just as she slowly put her feet on the ground, cradling her arm to her chest, her eyes welled up in tears.

"Bella!" I exclaimed, running to her. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. Obviously she was in pain, but it was reflex to ask her that.

"Let's take you to Madam Pomfrey."

"But we won." She argued, handing me her broom. "We have to celebrate." She tried to look enthusiastic, but the pain was greater.

"Please, after you fix your arm you can celebrate all you want. Just please, let's go get it fixed." I begged. She was in pain and I didn't want her to suffer any more.

"Okay." She acquiesced quite quickly, so I knew she couldn't stand the pain anymore.

I picked her up easily and carried her and the broom towards the now familiar hospital wing.

"There's always one." Madam Pomfrey whispered as we walked in.

"Broken arm." Bella told her.

I sat her on one of the beds, and thirty seconds later her arm was as good as new. I was starting to love magic.

"Thanks, Madam." Bella smiled as she grabbed her broom from my hands. "Now let's go. They're probably in our common room already."

Her childlike excitement was really endearing, and I was caught staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing, you just look so cute when you're like that."

Her eyes turned to slits as she glared at me, huffing and waking ahead. She knew just how adorable she was, and I could tell she was joking around.

"C'mon, cutie pie, let's go celebrate." I surprised her by picking her up, which made her shriek loudly and laugh out loud.

The common room was abuzz with excitement. It had been a long time since any of them had played, and winning their first game was a really big deal.

Harry was patted on the back whenever he passed someone, and the Snitch was safely encased in his hand.

I learned that the Snitch had a special magic to it, so it could tell who touched it first. It was a way to let the referee know who won without a fight breaking. Something must have happened some other time for this rule to exist, but I'd rather not think about it.

It felt nice to be around happiness like this. For a while, the image that was ingrained in my brain was of this castle in ruins. Due to my memory, I just cannot forget any details, and so seeing it all so alight and cheerful was a sight for sore eyes.

Seeing my Bella being congratulated by her peers made my heart swell. This was where she belonged, and I would make sure she kept to her roots somehow.

She was talking animatedly with Ginny and Harry, narrating one of their plays minute-by-minute, gesturing wildly with her hands. I stood to the side, not wanting to steal her away for once.

It gave me the time to observe.

Witches and wizards had very interesting minds, and for once I didn't find my mind reading a curse rather than a gift. Each student – the ones I could hear – were focused on things that for me were completely foreign and interesting.

Of course, the shallowness of some was still there, as well as lust and desire, but it was different. Everything to do with this place was different. Except thoughts about Bella; those were all the same.

I couldn't hear Hermione at all, nor Ginny. Harry was a bit difficult, but he wasn't completely closed-off. I think it had something to do with his attempt at Occlumency, but I wasn't sure. Ron was like an open book. His resentment to Harry was almost gone now, since he got the girl and the glory of helping defeat Voldemort.

He was very content with how things ended. He had lived under so many shadows, it was nice for him to be recognized as himself, and not 'Potter's best friend' or 'Fred and George's little brother'. He felt free.

Most minds were still focused on the game, which was entertaining to watch. I noticed a couple of plays made an impression and was suddenly proud Bella had a part in that.

Emmett was still excited about the game as well, and surprisingly so was Rosalie. They were talking to Eloise, who was taking in their praises with shy contentment. The girl was still a bit unsure on how to act around us, but she was getting around.

It was unfortunate I could only hear the minds of those inside the tower. The whole family was still on the look-out for the person who poisoned Vivi, but so far nothing. There were quite a good number of minds I could not read, especially from Slytherin. They seemed quite apt in Occlumency.

Jasper tried to feel the guilt, mischief, anger, or any other suspicious emotion, but it was almost impossible. Students were always feeling guilty about something, the mischief was all over, and there was a bunch of teenagers enclosed in the same space. Anger was a very common feeling around this place.

With Alice out of commission as well, it was getting pretty difficult to find the perpetrator. It was hard, but no one was going to give up. They had messed with my little sister, and I would see that they pay for it.

"Edward?" I was brought back to reality by Bella's sweet voice. "Where were you?"

"I'm sorry, baby. My mind was elsewhere." I smiled down at her as she wrapped her arms around me.

She nestled her head on my chest and I felt her smile against my skin. "It's okay. Harry and Ron went to the kitchen to sneak in some food. You looked troubled over here, just wanted to know if you were okay." She looked up, her brown eyes questioning.

"I'm fine. Just jumping from mind to mind." I winked at her. "They're all focused on the same thing, it's entertaining."

She nodded then, burying herself deeper on my shoulder.

"You're so comfy."

I chuckled at that.

"No, I'm not. My skin is like marble, cold and hard. How could I be comfortable?"

"You just are. I fit right in here." She nuzzled my chest to make her point.

"That you do." I agreed. "C'mon, lovely. Let's mingle."

She giggled, but went with me towards her friends.

Hermione seemed bored out of her mind, so I went to talk to her. She was such a smart young woman, and I loved to pick her brain, more so because her mind was as blank as Bella's was to me.

"You look excited." I joked as I sat down next to her, pulling Bella onto my lap. She'd be gone as soon as her friends got back with food, but it was nice of her to stay with me for now.

"I try to get in the mood, but sports just aren't for me." She shrugged. "I'm happy they won, but we have tons of homework to finish, and I cannot concentrate."

I chuckled lightly. "I'm sure you'll be able to finish it all, Hermione."

She shrugged once again.

Bella jumped from my lap as soon as she heard her friends' voices, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"She's just excited to win, Mione." I tried to explain. "The last couple of years were pretty hard for her, and she just wants to enjoy her life."

"I know." She sighed. "I don't want to put anyone down, I'm really happy for them, it's just not on my list of priorities."

"So I've been told." I smiled. "It's just different for them. Your point of view is not the same, but I'm happy you don't let that get between your friendship."

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "I love them all. Growing up I had no one; I was always the know-it-all show-off in muggle school. Bella was actually the first friend I ever got. She was understanding and patient with me, she put up with my compulsion to study at all times, and she wasn't a girly girl either. We bonded over books, and she helped me learn more about the wizarding world than any book could ever dream of doing.

"During our first year, I went to her house during our Christmas break. She let me into her family, and that was priceless for me. When we made friends with Harry and Ron, she was the level-headed in our group. Harry was hesitant, but he wanted to know things, and he's known to get in trouble every now and then.

"Ron was trying so hard to be himself, he forgot how to actually be him. And I was usually mad at them for putting us in danger. She kept us all grounded." She smiled brightly. "She's always been my best friend, my sister. Even our birthdays are close." She chuckled.

"She really appreciates your friendship, Hermione." I told her, ignoring the loud shouts coming from behind us. No one came to this part of the common room to bother us, anyways. "She's just a loving person, she would have been your friend no matter what."

"I know." She nodded, a tear falling down her eye. "I don't want her, or the others, to feel I don't appreciate it all. I just don't care for Quidditch as much as they do."

I laughed at that. "They know that. Believe me, they do."

She smiled in thanks.

"So, are you going to tell who didn't like your different point of view?" So she had caught on my slip.

"It's complicated." I shrugged. "I've always been comfortable with my existence, never really wanting anything else but my family. I didn't think I need anything more. Then Bella happened."

She chuckled.

"It was just instant attraction. I don't know what drove me to talk to her, since I never interacted with any human in school, but I am so glad I did.

"My family was happy I had found someone, at least most of them."

"I wasn't." Rosalie's voice carried over as she sat down next to us. "I was scared and I lashed out at them."

I looked at her in alarm. I had not heard her approaching, and her mind was conveniently focused on Quidditch at the moment.

"I saw her as a threat, and I gave them both grief from the moment she stepped foot into our house. I'm not proud of it, and I'm glad she's a very forgiving person, because I didn't truly deserve her friendship with the way I treated her."

"What did she ever do to you?" Hermione huffed. She seemed very protective of her friends, and I wanted to see how this would end. Bella was just too caring and prefers to avoid fighting, and I can see Hermione as the defender of the duo.

"Nothing." Rosalie shrugged. "I just don't like change."

"And that's motive to make my friend's life difficult?" The witch raised an eyebrow.

I knew Rosalie was mainly selfish and vain. It was how she was raised to be, and changing was not something that came easily for a vampire. Although she's quite loyal, she usually acts and speaks before thinking, which causes more problem than not.

"Bella's been through enough in her life, she didn't need anyone trying to shun the little ray of happiness she had found."

Hermione's glare was quite scary.

"I know that now. I didn't really care back then." Rose shrugged once again.

She didn't see what the big deal was at first. I had honestly thought she was jealous I had actually noticed Bella when I didn't give Rose the time of day. It was true that Carlisle hoped we would become mates, but he couldn't hear her mind.

She was as vain as she could, and more.

She was also extremely high maintenance, which was not something I was looking for in a mate. It didn't matter that we had the money for it, or even that we were vampires and thus already beautiful enough. She was not the kind of girl I would be attracted to.

Rosalie did feel jealous; she kept comparing herself and Bella, stating all the things in which she was better than my love. She was taller, blonde, nice figure, and the list went on and on. What she forgot to mention was that my Bella had the purest heart, and as such had no comparison.

She was perfect for me, and that was what mattered.

"It's nothing personal, she was just getting in the way."

"In the way of what?" Hermione retorted.

Rosalie was digging herself deeper into the hole she'd created. Bella had forgiven her, but it seemed Rose wasn't all that different. She was just better at masking her feelings.

"I don't know." Rose replied. "She forgave me for acting like that, so I don't see why it matters so much to you."

"She's my friend. That's why it matters. If you're just pretending to like her so you can stay here, Merlin help me, I will make sure you're gone." Hermione threatened.

"I'm not." Rosalie tried to reassure the girl. "I do like her. My own preconceived ideas made me hate her at first, but she's a good person. Too good, actually."

"And don't you forget that." Hermione said in a dismissive way. Rose looked at me, helpless against the witch. I could just shrug, letting her know she was on her own. I was not as forgiving as Bella, and although we were in good terms, I still had not forgotten the way my sister had treated the love of my life.

Rosalie huffed and left us. She was mad I hadn't jumped in to help her, but that was her own problem.

"She's a bit full of herself, isn't she?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. She's just really blunt and can't see why people wouldn't want to do things her way. It's just, she was worshiped by her parents and everyone else while growing up. Everyone catered to her every whim, and she expects us all to still do so."

"Well, I'm not doing it."

I laughed out loud at that. Rosalie needed a dose of reality. She may be behaving differently, but her personality would never really change.

I sat with Hermione for the rest of the night, trying to give Bella some time with her friends without having to worry I was being a nuisance. I checked on her from time to time, but she was laughing and talking animatedly with everyone, which was good enough for me.

Hermione was still pretty annoyed with Rosalie, and it was a good thing I didn't sleep in that dorm room. Not that I ever slept anyways, and it wasn't like I couldn't hear them from our room, but still. If word got around to Bella, I honestly don't know how she would react.

I'm really hoping she stands up to herself and doesn't let anyone walk all over her. Not that she ever did in the first place.

Her sister had joined the party sometime, and they looked so happy. I was really glad Vivi was allowed to come into our common room, or else I had no idea how the year would be like. Bella would kill herself with worry.

The party eventually died down, and the groups that had formed started to dissipate. Vivi left not soon after that, and Bella all but collapsed on my lap. She was pretty tired.

"You and I are going to talk about something I heard today, Mione." Bella smiled at her friend, her eyes closed. "Thank you." She whispered, letting Hermione know she wasn't in trouble.

"You're my best friend. You would have defended me as well."

"I would. Well, I have." Bella chuckled.

These two girls were certainly two peas in a pod. They were absolutely best friends, and nothing would ever break that, I could tell.

"I see the good in people, and I know Rose is not the same. Believe me, I know." Bella reassured her friend. "She's just not used to not getting her way."

"Oh, I saw that." Hermione replied.

"Anyways, thanks for that, and I'm beat. Night, baby." Bella finished their short conversation, kissing me lightly before getting up.

"Good night, lovely." I replied, watching as she went up the stairs. A couple of minutes later, Hermione bade me good night and left as well.

I decided on not going to my dorm room, instead sitting by the fireplace. Rose and Emmett had sneaked out and I wanted some time to think.

It'd been a couple of weeks since Bella showed me her findings.

_I would be able to give her a child._

It frightened me to no end. According to the book, the mother had died, and it was quite the gruesome death as well. I didn't think I could handle seeing a baby bite its way out of Bella's womb.

But she wanted it, she really did.

And I'd be lying to everyone, myself specially, if I said I didn't want it as well.

Ever since Bella told me about it, I'd been imagining a little girl running around, her brown curls bouncing with every step. She had my Bella's eyes, and the most amazing giggle.

Sometimes I see a little boy with my human eyes – green, according to Carlisle – and a mop of brownish red hair. Either way, the idea had been ingrained in my mind, and I could not let it go.

So I needed to plan.

I still didn't know if I would be able to control myself during... the conception. I know – unfortunately – just how much vampires lose themselves in their passion, and I was absolutely terrified to hurt Bella.

I knew she'd put me in my place if I ever voiced those fears to her again.

She had too much faith in me, more than she should. But I could deny her nothing.

My talk to Carlisle was pretty enlightening as well. He had no idea it could happen, but now that he did, he'd try to research some more about the subject. He'd kept me grounded when I was losing my mind.

We had both also agreed to not tell the rest of the family, at least not yet. We knew Rosalie would fixate on the idea and I did not want that. I felt really bad that she would never get her dream, but I would not jeopardize my Bella's happiness for my sister.

Rose would not take this lightly, and I knew she'd take it out on us. She would most likely obsess over it, and read every single book in that library to see if she could get the child she always wanted. She wouldn't listen to us when we tell her it's impossible.

Yes, it's better if we keep this to ourselves for the time being.

Esme would most likely know, but she is more level-headed than Rosalie. She would support our decision rather than making it about her. She had always wanted a child as well, but it wasn't any child. She wanted her baby boy back, and that was impossible.

She had come to terms with her loss a long time ago, and now she would be happy to play 'grandma'. I was sure of that.

Knowing how my family's minds worked was an advantage for me right now.

I was still terrified though.

What did I know about being a father? About caring for someone who would depend on me?

I knew Bella would be a natural at it, as I've seen with her nephew. She was so careful and mindful of what he wanted or needed, she didn't even blink before giving it to him. She would be an amazing mother.

And I could give that to her.

I would not let her down, not this time and not about this.

She was already losing so much with the change, I would not take anything else from her.

But before all that, we'd discuss everything between us.

And before all that, I still needed to know who was the person that poisoned my little sister. I still had no clue since the person was either very good at hiding their thoughts or they were very good at Occlumency.

I had narrowed it down to Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Those were the house emblems I remember seeing at the candy shop, and also the ones who would have something against Vivi.

Ravenclaws had easy access to her dorm room as well.

I never thought the person had the intention to actually poison Vivianna. Maybe incapacitate her for a couple of hours or something like that, but not have her get so sick she'd spend a week in the hospital wing.

It still didn't make it okay. I wanted them punished, and the sooner the better.

I managed to go on with everything for the time being, keeping an ear open whenever I heard the words 'poison', 'Vivi', or even 'hospital'.

November passed by in the blink of an eye, and still no clues.

Ravenclaw had their first game against Slytherin, and they won two-hundred and thirty to a hundred and ninety. It was even more terrifying to see Vivi fly around the field than it had been with Bella. She just looked a lot more fragile and she was a seeker, which made her quite the target.

It wasn't until Christmas break that I caught on to something.

We were all waiting for the train to depart; we were all going back to London for Christmas and the party that would be held at Harry's place.

As all students talked excitedly about the holidays, I caught a whisper of something suspicious. I couldn't pinpoint exactly where it had come from, unfortunately, but I could tell for sure it was a Slytherin. Their mind was full of thoughts about their house.

I couldn't recognize the voices that were talking, but I knew now how they sounded, which made it easier to listen to in the future.

With that in mind, I decided on not telling anyone yet. I wanted to enjoy the holidays and worry about it when we got back to school.

This year's Christmas would be such a contrast from last year's, I could hardly contain myself.

For the first time in a long while, I was eager to celebrate a holiday.

* * *

_I hope you liked this chapter, Edward is just too complex to write sometimes. His mind is all over, as is mine right now, so this chapter is all over the place. I'm sorry for that. _

_Can I still have a review? Pretty please?  
_


	24. Chapter 24

_I am so, so, so sorry for the delay. Not to make excuses, but I was only working nights and saturdays, and suddenly I had afternoons filled and one really hard group of kids that drove me completely insane. My head still hurts thinking about them. So I went from having some free time, to only having Sundays off. I'm gonna be busier as the new semester starts, but hopefully I'll manage to write more._

_Also, in the meantime, I got a **Pottermore** account (actually, two, but I use one more). If you want to be my friend there, I am ThestralPurple10351 and GalleonQueen3656. If you don't have an account and loves Harry Potter, I really reccomend it. It's a lot of fun!  
_

_This chapter has a lot of ups and downs, since I tried to write it at least three times. And yes, Alice is meant to be like that.  
_

_Disclaimer: S Meyer and J K Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivianna.  
_

* * *

Chapter 24

EPOV

We arrived in London as the sun went down, making it easier to walk around the city. We had only brought Bella's trunk with her school books for some holiday homework, so we had it easy.

Mr Weasley went to pick his children up, while Harry shared a cab with Bella and I. Hermione had gone with her parents, but we would see her soon.

The drive to Grimmauld place was mostly quiet, since we were in a muggle taxi. We talked about the party Harry would hold and who would cook what. It was distracting, which helped me relax a little.

I wish I had a way of letting someone into my mind. I just couldn't share what I heard any other way since the voice in my head was different than my normal one. I knew how the person's mind worked, but not truly their real voices.

I had promised myself I wouldn't tell anyone about it during the holidays, but I was rethinking that. Bella had a right to know, it was her sister that suffered because of it. I just didn't know how to tell her.

Maybe I should wait until after Christmas, so it wouldn't upset her as much. Would she be mad at me for withholding information like that? I know she hates it when I do things to protect her, but what else could I do?

We dropped Harry off at his place and headed towards our house. Bella and her sister would rest for the night before going to visit their family tomorrow.

I was going to walk around London to find some Christmas presents to my family and Bella. We couldn't get into Diagon Alley without her or another witch or wizard, so we'd try our luck in muggle London first.

My family was very excited about Christmas, since last year's wasn't much like a holiday. We were moving here, Bella was still looking for her sister, and people from her world were being killed right and left. It was definitely an improvement.

I knew Alice would want to go all out, and I was actually scared of another confrontation between my sister and my fiancée. It was a good thing we were having Christmas dinner at Harry's.

Bella had made it clear to Alice that she was not allowed to do anything regarding Bella without telling my fiancée first, and I somewhat agreed with that. Alice had the tendency to act as if everyone would be okay with her choices because she could check ahead for their reactions.

The thing is that, when she did that, we all felt a bit uncomfortable. Since she had lived with us for over fifty years, we were used to it and maybe even indulged her a little, but Bella was able to open all our eyes. We should make our own decisions without influence.

The rest of the family was just truly looking forward to some normalcy, or as much normalcy as a coven of vampires did have.

"We're here." I heard the cabbie say, breaking me from my thoughts.

Bella looked at me, her face showing a bit of confusion for my silence. I kissed her forehead lightly as I handed the guy his money. "Pop the trunk?" I asked as we both left the car.

In a minute I had Bella's bag in my hand as I basically carried my fiancée up the steps. It was cold, but thankfully not snowing yet.

"I need a shower." Bella whispered as we got in. The rest of the family had come straight home, so the house was already warm and lit up. I could hear a shower running, and knew Vivi was using it.

"Okay, baby. Go right up and I'll bring you some hot chocolate when you're done." I caressed her cheeks as she nodded, dragging herself upstairs.

"We're going to Harry's in a few days to help him with decoration and all." I informed my family, who was scattered around the house. "I want to know who wants to go around London to look for some presents and decoration."

In their minds they gave me their answers. It seemed Emmett, Carlisle and I would hunt for presents as Esme and Rosalie took care of decorations. Alice and Jasper would just do their own thing, which was strange. Alice was refusing the chance to go crazy.

"I saw what you were thinking, Edward." She said as she appeared in front of me. "I'm sorry."

I couldn't help but feel guilty.

"I never noticed it, either, until Bella opened my eyes. She was right, you know. I do things for my own benefit most of the time. I see different outcomes for what I have planned, and I forget to take into consideration what others will think sometimes."

I nod, not knowing what to say.

"That's why I'm giving you some space to do your shopping on your own. I have to learn to control myself instead of just telling you whatever anyone would want to get. And I promise I'm not going to go overboard with decoration, but I will be doing it in our home." She finished it off.

"As long as you know when you're wrong, Alice."

She smiled in relief, kissing my cheek as she danced out of the room, sending a _thank you _through her thoughts.

As we finished our brief talk, I walked into the kitchen to make the hot chocolate I promised to my love. It had been a long journey back home, and I was sure Bella was exhausted.

By the time she was done with her shower, I went upstairs holding two mugs of hot chocolate while trying to touch them as little as possible. My cold hands would surely make the beverage turn lukewarm in no time.

"Thank you." Bella exclaimed as she saw me walk in. Her sister was with her and both looked like they would fall asleep in no time.

I was selfishly glad her sister could sleep on her own now, since I wanted to just hold my love as she slept.

"Thanks, Edward." Vivi grabbed a mug and carefully took a sip, trying not to burn her tongue.

"No problem." I smiled in return as I saw my fiancée enjoying her drink. Draping an arm around her shoulders, I kissed her temple as she rested her head on me. We kept talking until they finished their drinks, when Vivi bade us goodnight and went into her own room.

"I missed this." Bella whispered as I took the empty mug from her. "Falling asleep in your arms was the best part of my time away." She smiled slightly.

"I missed it, too, my love." I kissed her forehead. "Are you ready for bed?"

She nodded, letting me know she had cast the warming spell once again so I could lay with her. I wasted no time getting under the covers with her, bringing her to me. She sighed as she rested her head on my shoulder, and before I could even wish her a goodnight, she was fast asleep.

I spent my night just staring at her face. She looked so much better than when I first met her. Her eyes didn't have dark bags under them, and she didn't move as much while she slept, which meant she was actually getting her rest.

I ran my hand through her hair, and she hummed quietly, smiling slightly as she snuggled closer to me. I still could not understand how she could sleep so well when she'd spend her night leaning against granite.

She woke up on her own around eight the next morning, fully rested.

"Good morning." I smiled. She looked around confused for a second before realizing where she was.

"Morning." She mumbled through a yawn.

"Esme is making breakfast. What do you want to do today?" I asked, though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"We're going to visit mum." She whispered, not quite awake yet.

I nodded, running my hand through her hair once again.

"I'm going out with the boys. We want to do some Christmas shopping around London. It's going to rain pretty much the whole day, so we'll be safe." I explained to her. "And maybe tomorrow or the day after we could go to Diagon Alley?"

"Sure, baby. We'll go tomorrow. I need to buy some presents I couldn't find in Hogsmeade." She nodded with her affirmation.

"Great." I kissed her head. "If you want to change, I'll go grab you some of that breakfast and bring it up here." I offered

"That'd be nice. Thank you."

She still insisted on only kissing me after she brushed her teeth, so she left for the bathroom as I ran downstairs to assemble her breakfast.

"What time do you want to leave, bro?" Emmett asked as I entered the kitchen.

"Shops will only open after ten, so we could go then. Alice said it will be raining for the whole day, so we're good to go out." I told him.

"Sweet."

"And tomorrow we'll hit Diagon Alley."

That made his eyes shine. Emmett was sure enjoying this new world we were discovering.

"I love that place." He stated.

"I know." I smiled back at him.

"You know..." he trailed out. "I never actually thanked you and Bella for forgiving me. I wasn't really supportive when she first told us, and I laughed in her face. I still feel pretty bad about it." He shrugged. "I never thought she was lying, I just didn't really want to believe it. Plus, I had to stay on Rose's side, ya know."

"It's all over now, Emmett." I reply. "Bella let it go a long time ago, you should as well."

He nodded a bit glumly, but smiled right after. I could hear it in his thoughts that he wanted to do something nice for Bella in return, since she had let us all be a part of such extraordinary things.

I nodded to let him know I heard him and agreed. Bella didn't like grand gestures, but Emmett knew her pretty well by now.

I took her breakfast so she could eat while I got ready for the day. I had to dress the part, so I put on my jeans and a thick waterproof jacket because of the rain. Throwing a scarf around my neck and donning gloves and a hat, I was ready for the day.

"Don't you look cute." Bella smiled as I walked back into the room.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, but she looked so excited I didn't want to bring her mood down.

"I know, it's a bit overboard but I'll be out all day and it's cold outside; I can't walk around with just a shirt and shorts. You should bundle up as well, sweetheart, or you'll freeze."

She nodded towards the coat she had set aside, and as she was already wearing a beanie and was holding a pair of mittens, I knew she was good.

"Mum is probably going to cook up a storm, so we'll be pretty warm all the time. She makes the best soup." She smiled, finally coming my way and kissing my lips lightly.

I kissed her back once more, getting into it when I heard several minds yelling that it was time to go.

I sighed.

"I'll drop you both off before I meet the rest of them. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded, unwrapping her arms that had wound around my neck.

"Let me get my sister and we'll go."

Vivi was already downstairs finishing her breakfast, so we left before the rest of the family.

"Do you have you cell phone with you?" I asked Bella once we parked in front of her mother's house.

"Yes, and I'll call to let you know when we're ready."

"Thank you." I smiled, knowing she didn't like depending on me for things like that. She could apparate, but since it was really cold, she didn't want to be out for long, and she couldn't just appear in her mother's living room. "Is it difficult to get the fireplace to work like the one at the Leaky Cauldron?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll ask my mum about it. That would be a great thing, it's a lot less risky traveling by Floo powder."

"Bizzy, come on." Vivi urged her, opening the door and running towards the porch. The rain had already started, and it looked like it wouldn't let down for a while.

"Go on in, I'll be right there." She made a hand gesture motioning for her to go inside. "I'll see you later, baby." She smiled as she leaned over to kiss me. "Have fun with your brother and don't drive Carlisle crazy."

"I make no promises." I replied, kissing her again. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She kissed me one last time before leaving the car and carefully running inside the house.

I drove off towards the shopping mall we had agreed on, knowing it would be crazy at this time of year. We only had five days until Christmas and there were still a lot of shopping to do.

I found my brother and father in a sports store. I knew Emmett had dragged them there, as he wanted to buy Bella's gift.

It took us over an hour to choose and buy what we wanted in that store, so we knew the day would be long.

"How are you adapting to everything, Edward?" Carlisle asked as we walked around aimlessly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Bella is getting better, but there's still a long road ahead of her. We were all thrown into this world with barely any notice, and I just wanted to know how you are taking it all." He elaborated.

"I'm fine." I replied. "Bella is doing better, but I know she's not healed. She never will be and I'm okay with that. I love getting to know this other part of her. Her world means everything to her, and so it is important to me as well."

"_What about the baby thing?"_ He asked in his thoughts so Emmett wouldn't hear.

"We haven't talked much about that because of all that happened. But I'm giving in to that idea. I catch myself thinking about it way more often than I should, and I know it's something Bella really wants. And all I want is to make her happy."

"You should really sit down and talk about it, though." He warned me.

"I know. But we still need a safe environment for that." I hinted, knowing we couldn't talk about it at home since they would all be able to hear us.

"You'll figure it out."

Emmett had lost interest in our conversation and was walking towards another store.

Our day was spent going around town, talking and having fun. Emmett was having a blast, and Carlisle and I could talk more freely knowing Emmett wouldn't interfere. He was very laid back and a great company.

Bella called me at around ten that night and I quickly went to pick her up. I was missing her like crazy.

I parked, running to the porch and knocking, as I told her to wait inside for me. It was starting to get really cold and I didn't want her to get sick.

"Hi, Edward." Her older sister answered. "Come on in."

I realized I had never been inside the house, only ever dropping them off or picking them up.

It looked very cozy. The hall I was in connected the living room with the dining room, and I could see a kitchen next to it. There were pictures hanging all over the walls, of various stages of their lives, and I could see they went up into the staircase in front of me.

"Hello, Edward." Mrs Tonks greeted me as I entered the living room. I offered a hand for her to shake, but she surprised me by pulling me into a hug.

The room was big enough to fit three couches and a fireplace, and it was very homey. Vivi was laying on one couch, reading a book. Bella was in the other, barefoot and with her legs crossed in front of her.

"Hi, Mrs Tonks." I replied a little awkward, making my Bella giggle behind me. I shot her a glare as she bit her lip to hold her laugh in. "You have a beautiful home." I said as she finally let me go.

"Thank you, my dear. Bella will show you around later." She stated as she sat back down next to Dora.

I could only nod in reply.

"Hi, baby." Bella whispered as I went to her. "I missed you."

I kissed her cheek, not really comfortable with PDA in front of her family. She scooted to the side and I sat down next to her, bringing her to me carefully.

"Did you have fun?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"Yes, Emmett is a really good shopping mate, and I was able to talk to Carlisle. It was very productive, but now I promised Emmett we'd go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, and he's already pestering me about it."

She giggled. "We'll go there, I promise. I need to buy my godson a present." She winked at her sister, who just shook her head.

"What about the wedding?" Bella's mother asked. "Do you have any plans?"

Bella shook her head.

"I don't know, Mum. All I do know is that it'll be in Grandma Tonks' backyard and you guys will have to help me. I'm thinking July?" She turned to me.

"July sounds fine, which day?"

"I don't know, around the 20th or 25th? I want my friends there, so we'll have to know. Do you want to invite anyone?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. Is it safe to bring more of my species into your world?" I wanted to have our extended family, the Denali clan, for my wedding, but not at the expense of exposure.

"Do you trust them?" She asked, and I merely nodded. "That's enough for me. I want you to have a say in everything, Edward, and that includes the guests."

"Maybe we should discuss some things now?" I suggested. "Are you too tired?"

She shook her head, and her sisters and mother beamed back. Vivi let her book down and ran upstairs, coming back with a bunch of magazines and notebooks.

"We had some things already set aside for this." Dora explained.

Bella smiled, her eyes getting a little misty.

"You guys are the best." She sat down on the floor next to her sisters and I followed along.

"Are we going to set up a tent?" Dora started, grabbing a piece of parchment and quill to write everything down.

"Yes." Both Bella and I replied. "It'll be summer, and I don't think we'd like our guests to be blinded by our skin." I complemented.

"True." Vivi laughed.

"Flowers?"

"White Lilies." I said in a heartbeat. "And maybe some purple flower? Which one, Bella?"

"You remembered." She looked up in awe. "Purple carnations are beautiful."

"Great, just so you know, our wedding will have purple and white theme." I smiled at her, knowing purple was her favorite color.

"Are you guys okay with lavender or violet dresses?" Bella asked her sisters.

"Yes!" They both replied. "Who's going to be the maid of honor?" Vivi asked.

"You know I can't choose. You'll both be bridesmaids, and share whatever it comes with being a maid of honor, agreed?"

They looked at each other. "Agreed."

Mrs Tonks smiled happily at her family. _They look so happy. I wish Ted was here to see this._

I caught her sad thoughts and smiled sadly at her. She shouldn't have to go through all this by herself.

"Mum." Bella got her mother's attention. "I know it's not traditional or anything, but will you be the one to give me away?"

Mrs Tonks eyes filled with tears as she rushed to her middle child. She kissed Bella's forehead and smoothed her hair as they cried.

"I'd be honored, my child. It would mean the world to me if I could do this for you."

"Thank you." I left the four of them for a while as they cried together. Hearing a small cry, I went up the stairs to see what Teddy needed, forgoing warning them for the time being.

Following his noise, I found him in one of the five rooms I noticed upstairs.

He had just woken up, apparently startled by noises, but he wasn't hungry or needed a diaper change.

I picked him up from his crib and wrapped him in his blanket so he wouldn't feel my cold skin.

In his mind I saw a hazy picture of me as he let me know he made the connection and remembered who I was.

"That's right, it's Edward. You're such a smart boy." I praised him, lowering my head as he once again showed my hair in his mind. I think he liked the color.

His hair changed almost immediately, and he patted my head and laughed in delight. It felt so good, so freeing to see the innocence of a child. It made me yearn for one of my own.

I should really discuss this with Bella.

I sat down with him for a while, just taking it all in. He was so intelligent already, and he wasn't quite eight months old yet. He had learned how to crawl already, and could make noises that resembled what he was thinking about.

When I said my name out loud, an image of my face showed up in his mind. He could associate his family with their faces and voices, but could only remember me, and barely Esme from the time she spent with him while Vivi was sick.

He started sucking on his hand, and I could tell he was hungry, so very delicately I walked down the stairs with him, stopping by the doorway to the living room.

The four of them were sprawled on the floor, looking over what looked like a witch's magazine. I could hear from their minds they were looking at dresses, which was the one thing I would have no say in, no matter what.

They were discussing color and shapes, arguing over hair-dos and things like that, and I couldn't help but chuckle. It just felt so normal for them to be like that, so familiar.

They looked up when they heard me, and Dora immediately got up.

"I heard him wake up and thought I'd see what he needed before disturbing you. He's hungry." I let her know, handing her son to her.

"Thanks." She headed into the kitchen as I went back to the living room floor.

"So, what did I miss?"

They started showing me what they had thought while I was away.

Dora had made a rough design of the house's backyard, which seemed pretty big from what I saw in their heads. We should go there soon so I could really see how it was.

They predicted around a hundred people would come, since Bella just knew a lot of people. From my side, it would only be my family of six and my five cousins of sorts. She would invite most of her housemates, plus family and other friends. It would be quite eventful.

We discussed everything from tablecloths to food to music, and finally we had a basic idea of all we wanted. I really loved that Bella wanted me to be an active participant like that, which I knew wouldn't happen if we let my sister do it.

It was past one in the morning when they first showed signs of getting sleepy. We decided against going back home, so I just went outside to bring the car into their garage so it wouldn't get snowed in. There were some things I had bought that I wanted to give them before Christmas, so I brought those inside with me.

They had all changed into pajamas and lit up more of that blue fire that lasted forever. The house was very warm, which helped warm my own cold body a little so I wouldn't freeze Bella to death.

They had resumed their planning, and I sat back down next to Bella.

"What do you have there?" She asked, pointing towards my bags.

"Just something I wanted to give you all before Christmas." I smiled, going through my bags. "It's nothing much, I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you while I was away." I kissed Bella. "And I thought it'd be nice to give you all something."

"Thank you, sweetie." Mrs Tonks said as she opened her gift. I got her a ring that I thought fit her; it had a trinity design representing her daughters, but was still funky enough to fit her personality.

"Thanks, man." Dora replied as she checked the scarf out. It was light pink and it wouldn't clash with her bubblegum pink hair, or so I imagined. I also got something for Teddy which I handed to Dora as well.

"For my nephew." I smiled as she looked up shocked. "I'm marrying Bella in a few months, and you'll be my family anyways. I hope it's okay I consider him my own nephew."

Bella beamed at me as Dora nodded, cooing over the tiny football jersey I got him.

"It's so cute, thank you."

Vivi also opened her gift, which were a few headbands I found by chance. She seemed to like to style her hair, so I thought it would be nice.

"Thanks." She picked the one that matched her pajamas and arranged her hair with it.

I left Bella for last since I thought this would be a perfect time to discuss all we needed.

"I'll give yours when we go to bed." I whispered to her.

They were so hyped up with wedding plans, no one wanted to sleep. So we kept discussing everything we could about it.

It was so much easier to plan a wedding with a witch; most things didn't need to be bought and we needn't worry about food. Though it could not be created out of nowhere, food could be multiplied easily. Bella's mother would bake the cake, and her sister Dora would help with the finger food.

Concerning decoration we'd only need to get pews for the ceremony and then tables and chairs for the reception. Apparently that could be done quickly, if we knew where to buy. I had no idea what they had in mind, but I trusted them.

Bella and Vivi wanted to create the centerpieces, so basically all I had to do was get a tux and show up.

At quarter past two, Mrs Tonks and Dora went to bed, and Vivi followed soon after. I helped Bella clean up and blow out the candles before following her upstairs.

She led me to the second door to the right, where a fire already lit up the small fireplace.

"We each have one of those, since it gets really cold." She explained.

Her room was spacious since she only had a bed and a dresser, and it had soft gold and red design on the wall to represent her school house.

"I don't really need a big wardrobe, since Mum can just make it bigger on the inside. This is enough for me. I do like my bookcase, though."

It occupied half a wall, and it had books from school, leisure reading and even muggle authors.

"So, what's the mystery behind the gift that's not for Christmas?" She joked as she got under the covers.

I followed her, though I sat down next to her. She looked up and got into a sitting position as well.

"I know we didn't have time to talk much with all that happened this past month." I started. "And I want to take the opportunity to be able to talk to you without risking being heard."

She nodded.

"I've really thought about the baby thing. I know I promised we'd try, but at that time I wasn't fully convinced I could." I told her honestly, handing the small package I had set aside.

She carefully opened it, gasping loudly. I could see tears falling already as she lifted a pair of tiny red shoes.

"I want it, I really want it with all my heart. I want to hear her little voice calling for Momma, and I want to hear her laughter. I want see a child with your beautiful eyes, and I know we can do that."

She was sobbing by the end of my speech, and I brought her to me. "I love you, Bella. More than anything. I see how you are with your sister and nephew. I know it's in your nature to care for others, and I can say no one would know your love better than our child."

"Thank you." She whispered against my neck. "You gave me the best gift of all, Edward. I am so happy, you have no idea."

"I think I do, Bella, I'm sorry I made you doubt it. But we are going to read over everything we can about it and take every precaution we could possibly think of before delivery. I want to know both you and our baby will be safe."

She agreed right away.

"And we'll have both Carlisle and your mom when it's time for the delivery. I don't care you're a witch, he's a doctor and will know what to do."

She nodded.

"How do we tell the rest of the family?" She asked after a minute in silence.

"I don't know." I told her honestly. "I do know some of them will take this a bit differently than others, so it would be better if we waited until after we know it's actually happening."

"You mean, after I'm already pregnant?"

I nodded. "We can wait. Nothing is certain, yet. And we both know Rose will want you to make it possible for her to be pregnant as well."

"That's impossible, Edward. I can't just turn her back to human, and there is no way to make her go through all the changes the body suffers during pregnancy."

"We know that, Bella. But if she finds out before time, she'll obsess over it and blame us when she finds out it's not possible. You know her, she'll place the blame in everyone and run away. I don't want her making rash decisions and putting all of us in danger."

She agreed with me, her eyes dropping.

"Sleep, love. We have a full day tomorrow."

She lay down, pulling on my shirt so I would do the same, and in minutes she was out.

Our morning was completely chaotic. Bella woke up a little after seven due to the loud cries of her nephew. Dora was running back and forth to prepare his food, Vivi was grumbling as she walked down the stairs and Mrs Tonks was cooking breakfast.

We all left at around nine. Bella's family decided to go with us, and so I told my own family to meet us at the Leaky Cauldron.

Emmett whooped when we got into Diagon Alley, excited about the day.

Alice and Rosalie left right away, and I could tell from Alice's mind she had seen the Tonks' planning our wedding, and she wasn't happy about it. So much for not forcing her opinions on others. Luckily she hadn't seen my very _private_ conversation with Bella. That was between the two of us, and I didn't want Alice looking into the future only for things like that.

We all went our separate ways, Bella and I choosing to go to George's store first.

"There is my favorite client." He exclaimed as we walked in, hugging Bella tightly before shaking my hand.

"How are you?" Bella asked as he walked with us around the store.

"Good, good. It's going to be hard this Christmas, I'm glad we'll be all together." He told her sincerely.

"I'm glad, too. It'll be really hard for us as well."

They spent a minute in silence just thinking about their losses.

"Okay, no time to be sad now. Look around and I'll ring you up when you're done." He told her before leaving to check another customer.

We spent about an hour in that store, buying gag gifts for most of our family.

Dora and Teddy met up with us for a while, and I got to carry my new nephew while the two sisters gossiped and shopped. Bella took the opportunity to buy a few things she needed for school at the apothecary.

"How about some more dragon blood, Edward?" She teased me.

"Maybe later." I winked back. I actually thought it was fun to know we could get drunk, so I wasn't throwing out the possibility.

Dora asked if I minded keeping Teddy for a while as she and Bella needed to meet up with their sister and mother for something. I told her it was no problem, and walked towards a store that sold toys with him.

He looked around in fascination as I chose him a gift. Through his mind I could tell which ones interested him the most, so those were the ones I picked.

"Hey, you got stuck with the kid?" Emmett exclaimed as I met up with my family.

"I didn't get stuck with him. The girls needed to do something and Dora asked if I could watch him for a while." I rebutted. It wasn't an obligation. "Teddy likes his uncle Edward, don't you, Teddy?" I smiled at the child on my hip and he clapped excitedly.

"Uncle Edward?" Alice asked with an eyebrow raised.

I shrugged. "He's Bella's nephew. We'll be married soon, so it's only natural to call him my nephew as well."

"You'll be married soon?" Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, we set the date to July 19th. We planned everything out last night, they were all so excited it took us no time at all." I explained.

Esme and Carlisle were happy we had finally decided on a date, but my sisters weren't as excited.

"You did all that without asking us?" Alice almost screeched.

"Yes, Alice, I don't see what's the problem with that."

Teddy started to whimper. He didn't like Alice's tone of voice either.

"Shh, it's okay, little guy. Alice isn't always this mean."

"I am not mean. I thought Bella said I could plan her wedding."

I was pretty sure Bella never said that, though, but I didn't want to upset Teddy any longer by arguing.

"I never said that, Alice." Bella said as she approached us. Her eyes were alight with happiness. "I found my dress." She whispered to me, kissing my ear in the process.

"That's great, sweetheart. Did you buy it?" She shook her head.

"It'll be custom made, I'll have to come back here during break to do a fitting."

"You have your dress as well?" Alice screeched once again. As I said, she just couldn't change.

"Alice, I never said you would plan my wedding. I remember you getting all excited about it and throwing ideas and I told you we would talk later. I wanted my family to be involved in _my_ wedding." Bella shot her down.

"What about Edward, uh?" Alice was getting mad.

"Oh, he has a say in everything. Actually, he gave his opinion in everything we discussed last night, which's all I ever wanted."

"His family has no say?"

"Does anyone want to be involved in _my_ wedding planning?" I asked my family. They all shook their heads, including Rosalie.

"Alice, what happened to not being so controlling? You just said you would stop with that yesterday." I asked her.

"What happened is that this wedding is all wrong! A hundred people cramped into a backyard? Purple wedding? Carnations? Handmade centerpieces?"

She was getting out of control, attracting the attention of passersby. Teddy could feel the tension building as well, he started whimpering again against my neck.

"Alice, it's not your wedding." Bella took over. "I am pretty pissed you looked into my conversation with my family like that, but I can forgive you for that since it can be out of your control sometimes. What I can't believe is that you would insult me like that and think I'd be okay with it.

"I wanted my sisters to help plan it all. They're my everything. With everything that happened the past few years, we all wanted something happy to counter all the bad things, and planning my wedding will bring us closer.

"Different from you, they actually respect my opinion, and listen to what I have to say. You don't seem to know me, Alice. I have dreamed of my wedding for a while, and I knew I'd have it at my grandma's backyard no matter what.

"You saw something in the future, drew up your own conclusions and is now attacking me over it. How should I even think about letting you be part of the best thing of my life if you're always going to put me down for my opinions? Do you really think I like it when you criticize me, my clothes, my hair?"

"You went too far, Alice." I added. "You have to learn how to control this unfounded jealousy of yours, or else there will be a time we won't forgive you. All you do is hurt the ones who love you, and drive us all away."

_I'll drive her home. _Jasper said, wrapping an arm around Alice and whisking her away.

"But..." she started to say.

"No, Alice. They're right. Let's go home." Jasper said, practically dragging her away.

Dora and Mrs Tonks were looking on with mouths open in shock. They hadn't spent enough time with my family to know just how petty they could be at times.

"That went well." Bella sighed next to me, taking her nephew from my arms. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She apologized to her sisters and mother.

"It's okay, baby girl. I hadn't actually believed it when you said those things when you first fought. I can see it all now."

"Change is hard for us." I tried to explain. "Alice was used to being Bella's friend back in the United States, she doesn't see that you take precedence to friendship. She'll learn." I hoped.

After all that, we decided to just go home. All the shopping we had to do was done, and we all needed some time to think. I ended up going back to the Tonks', not sure I should be around my sister at the moment.

The next day we all went to Harry's house to help him out. Christmas was only a day away, and we wanted to get a head start on things.

"Hey, guys." Ginny smiled as we got in. I knew she'd be going back and forth between here and the Burrow, so it was no surprise to see her.

"Esme and Rosalie got some muggle decoration." I told Harry as we sat down in the kitchen.

"Cool. I have absolutely nothing, and this place needs some cheering up."

We started unpacking right away. Rosalie, Esme and Emmett put up the tree as we all walked up to the living room to help them.

Alice and Jasper hadn't come, so there was only the five of us, the Tonks', Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and George. With more than enough wizards and witches, the whole house was lit up and decorated in no time, and it looked beautiful. The use of candles and that lovely blue fire instead of blinking lights made it all more magical – excuse the pun.

Bella and her mum checked over the kitchen to see what needed to be bought and after that we just spent the rest of the day talking.

"Oh, Hermione, Ginny. I have something I wanted to ask you. Dee and Vivi are sharing Maid of Honor duty, would you be my bridesmaids?"

Both girls squealed loudly and threw themselves on my fiancée.

"Did you set the date?"

"Where will it be?"

"Will the dress clash with my hair?"

They threw one question after the other, hugging my Bella more tightly each time.

"Okay, I need to breathe." Bella finally chocked out, making all girls laugh. "It'll be in July, I haven't chosen your dresses yet, but I don't think lavender or violet would clash, Gin."

Ginny nodded in relief.

"We're still planning things, but what we know is that it'll be at my grandma's house, remember?"

Hermione nodded.

"Do you need any help?"

Bella smiled at that. "We're still working on things, but I'm sure you would be of much help later on, Mione. You're the best with spells so maybe you'll help me out with some things?"

"Absolutely."

Bella, her sisters and friends spent the rest of the day discussing dresses and colors, comparing ideas and sharing opinions.

This is what Alice didn't understand. She still thought she could plan it all without asking anyone else's opinion, if only because she could see the future. What I wanted was for my Bella to have her day, the way _she_ had always dreamed it.

Bella decided to go back to her mother's for another night, but I needed to go home for a few change of clothes. Bella and Vivi had requested a few things from their trunks, so I would fetch them and then go over.

Seeing the house shocked me. Alice had taken her anger and transformed it into something else. The whole house was decorated for Christmas, in the most obnoxious way possible. There were lights all over, and I do mean all over, the living room. A huge tree sat beside the fireplace, red and green decoration all over it.

The kitchen and dining room were the same, and the lights started to hurt my eyes so I just quickly ran up the stairs to the room I shared with Bella.

I grabbed a rucksack and threw some clothes inside for both of us, plus the Christmas presents she asked me to get. I did the same with Vivi's presents before going back into the car.

I was back to Bella in no time.

"Alice is mad." I stated as I entered the house. "Our house looks like someone puked Christmas in there. She took it all out in decorating that place, but she truly went overboard."

I walked over to Bella, who was alone in the living room.

She sighed. "Well, I'm sorry, Edward, but she needs to learn to control her temper. She really hurt my feeling with the things she said, and I won't let her walk all over me like she did when I first met you. She constantly criticized the way I dressed, how I let my hair dry on its own instead of styling it. I'm not that shy girl you met back then."

"I know that." I acquiesced.

"Yet she doesn't. I didn't really show you guys who I was because it was dangerous for all of us. But you saw this different side of me and you just accepted it. I thought she had as well." Bella started to cry. "My family will always be my priority. My mum, my sisters, my nephew. You." She looked up. "My Hogwarts family."

"I know."

"I've known them most of my life. I love _you_ more than anything. I love Alice, Edward, and the rest of your family as if they were my own, but..."

"Hey, I get it." I tried to calm her. "I agree with you, baby. She is the one who should let go of petty feelings instead of harboring them inside. I never knew she still felt like that, she hid it pretty well."

Yeah, she even apologized for it.

"I don't want to ruin Christmas."

"You're not. It's her choice if she decides to go or not, but we're going to celebrate it. We need it."

She nodded against my shoulder. "You're right. We need a reason to celebrate."

~x~

I drove everyone to the grocery store the next day. Each of them had a list of what to buy since the store was packed. I was assigned to entertain Teddy while they shopped. I put him sitting in the cart I had 'parked' in one empty aisle and played peek-a-boo for at least fifteen minutes straight. The sound of his laughter was enough to keep me going.

"Aw, what a beautiful child you have there." Some woman stopped next to us.

"Thanks, but he's only my nephew." I smiled. Teddy had covered his own eyes now, playing the game alone.

"Well, your sister must be very grateful." She insisted on keeping small talk.

"My sister can't have children." I rebutted. "He's actually my fiancée's nephew."

"Oh." She looked down and walked away.

It took us about twenty minutes to find everything and another thirty to pay for it, but finally we were back home.

They woke up early on Christmas day, giggling loudly all through breakfast as they exchanged stories of their childhood. These were the times I valued the most.

We headed towards Harry's right after lunch, the car full of presents and food.

Hermione ushered us in when we got there. The snow had finally fallen last night, and it was freezing outside.

The house was very warm, though, and the girls shed their heavy coats right away. Bella and her mother went straight to the kitchen to start cooking, and the rest of us went to the living room.

I set down all the gifts we had brought with us, which was way more than necessary, and put them neatly under the tree.

My family had not yet arrived, nor had the Weasleys or the Lovegoods, so I sat down and talked with Dora, Vivi and Hermione. Harry was downstairs with Bella and Mrs Tonks helping with what he could. Hermione told us Harry was actually a good cook since he was forced to do it at his relative's house.

Ginny and Ron were the first ones to show up through the fireplace, followed by their parents, the rest of their family and Luna and her father. Mrs Weasley went straight to the kitchen to help out, while the rest of them just put down their presents under – or rather, near – the tree. It was already full and my family hadn't even arrived it.

They did about half an hour later, and thankfully everyone was there. Alice looked repentant and sad, but I don't think she was ready to apologize.

With the rest of the presents set, we all got comfortable wherever we could. The room was big enough for all of us, but would be a bit cramped.

It was around five when Bella called us down for dinner.

The table in the kitchen was completely full with all kinds of food. It all looked so beautiful, I wished I could actually eat it all.

"You did a wonderful job, love." I complimented Bella as I reached her. The rest of the guys sat down randomly along the table, all looking at the food hungrily.

"Hi." Harry said from the head of the table. "Thank you all for coming." He smiled. "Thank you Bella, Mrs Tonks and Mrs Weasley for all this delicious food we are about to devour. I'm really happy you're all here, and let's hope we can do it again and again. Let's eat."

They all clapped and started serving food. It was loud and boisterous, conversation breaking through groups, as we all laughed and enjoyed the day. Christmas had never been so joyful.

We went back to the living room after everyone helped with dishes and leftovers, so we could start with presents.

There were just so many of them, we decided on letting Carlisle play Santa and just hand them over. We'd figure out where it all came from later.

Teddy had the biggest pile of us all, but everyone got a pretty decent amount of gifts. I think we were all overcompensating for last year's somber holidays.

I got clothes and books, but Bella gave me one gift that really stood out. It was a little bracelet that I knew would only fit a child, with an attached Hogwarts crest to it. It was beautiful, and I could only hope our baby would be able to wear it one day.

Only Carlisle and Esme were actually paying attention to us at the moment. Esme looked at me with confusion, and I promised myself I'd sit down and talk to her about future plans.

The party went on until way past midnight. No one wanted to sleep, and we were all having fun. We all ended up staying for a sleep over, people going up into the rooms we had helped clean this summer.

It seemed they all knew where to go, as if they were very familiar with this place. I remembered Bella telling me about the Order and how this became their headquarters. Almost all the people here were part of that, apart from Luna and her dad, so they divided the groups as they had before.

I got to sneak into Bella's room before the girls went to bed. Vivi, Hermione, Ginny and Luna were there as well and they were talking in hushed whispers.

"Sorry to interrupt." I apologized.

"It's okay." Hermione shrugged. "We should have been asleep, we're just too stubborn." She laughed, turning to her side and blowing the candle next to her.

Everyone did the same, and soon enough they were all asleep. I just bade Bella goodnight before joining my family in the living room.

They were talking about the party and the atmosphere it brought to us. It showed us just how little we truly cared for and understood each other. These people considered close friends as family. They treated each other just like a true family would, with disagreements and fights, but also with love and teasing that could only be achieved by knowing the others well.

I wasn't implying we didn't know each other, but we had some habits that made us not seem like a true family sometimes. We were more individuals sharing a house, and these people were part of a whole who lived for each other. It was inspiring to see.

We were supposed to leave in the morning, but again were deterred by the simple energy these people emanated. We ended up staying for lunch and talking.

Finally, we were about to go when there was a knock on the door.

They all looked at me, expecting me to tell who it was.

"Your aunt Narcissa, Bell. And I think your cousin is with her, but I can't hear his mind. I hear two heartbeats, though."

Mrs Tonks went to answer it, and came back with two raggedly looking people. Narcissa and Draco Malfoy looked disheveled and tired, and I could see a bit of blood trick through Draco's arm.

"Lucius escaped."

* * *

_And I end it with a cliffy. Sorry._

_I hope you're still reading this, and if you could, please review?  
_


	25. Chapter 25

_Hi! Yes, I am indeed still alive. I am really sorry that I didn't update at all for months, but real life takes priority over fiction. Too bad, actually, but I needed to work. I'm going to try to give you one more chapter before the new year, as I'm going to travel to the US for a while and most likely won't be able to update at all for a month. _

_I hope you all have a nice Christmas/holidays and enjoy this chapter. _

_Disclaimer: S Meyer and JK Rowling own it all. All I own is Vivi. _

* * *

Chapter 25 - EPOV

I heard Mrs Tonks usher both people to the room we were all in, Esme running at full speed to the kitchen to bring something warm for them to drink.

They both looked like they'd been to war. Their clothes were torn and dirty, there was blood matted to Draco's hair and Narcissa's eye was a sickly shade of purple.

"What do you mean he escaped, where was he?" Mrs Tonks asked as the two Malfoys sipped their warm teas.

"We were keeping him as a sort of prisoner in our cellar." Narcissa said, and I saw Vivi shudder and close her eyes in fear. The images in her head were getting darker and darker, so I swiftly motioned for Bella to go to her younger sister.

Bell caught on quite quickly what was going on and went to aid her sister.

"He didn't actually have his wand since the Dark Lord took it and it shattered during battle, but the one he was using we confiscated. It didn't work well with him, but we found it best to keep it.

"We didn't want him in Azkaban, though he was kept there for a while, but we also did not want to see him roaming around as if he had done nothing wrong. He didn't... doesn't think he's wrong at all. He was a madman, so we thought better to keep him away. But he subdued me last night as I brought his supper. We fought, but he escaped. I'm scared, we all know what he's capable of doing."

I saw the whole story run through her mind as she recounted it, and could see his crazed eyes. Lucius Malfoy was a dangerous man, and right now he was on the loose.

"How did you know where we were?" Dora asked, looking suspiciously at her aunt. "Actually, how did you find us the last time as well, at the Cullen's house?"

"Your mother told me you'd be here for Christmas. As for last time, I believe your friend Parvati, was it? Yes, Parvati let it slip while she shopped in Diagon Alley. I just had to find the right house, which wasn't that difficult at all.

"Dromeda invited us for the feast, but we thought it'd be better if we didn't interfere."

They all nodded. Despite all, the Malfoys had done more than enough to hurt their image with the people in this room, and it would take a while for everyone to trust them, that is if they ever do.

Draco sat silently next to his mother, drinking his tea with a haunted look in his eyes.

Hermione took pity on the boy and waved her wand a few times, making all his cuts and bruises disappear.

He smiled genuinely at her, truly grateful for her help.

Mrs Tonks did the same to her sister, and sent them to the nearest bathroom to get rid of the dried blood.

Meanwhile, people started to say goodbye. Most of the Weasleys went home, Bill and his wife had things to do, Charlie just wanted to go back to work and George had to open the shop. Mr and Mrs Weasley bade us all goodbye before following their sons, and Mr Lovegood left soon after.

Everyone that stayed helped out with cleaning the mess we had done, and by the time we were done, both Malfoys were back, looking cleaner and in better shape.

Mrs Tonks suggested they went to her house, and from her mind I gathered she noticed her sister and nephew made everyone else uncomfortable. They used the fireplace to floo them over and in a matter of seconds, the three were gone.

Tonks claimed she didn't want to leave her mother alone with them, so she asked if Bella minded watching Teddy for a while, which made my love beam and agree quickly. Dora left soon after, telling us she'd let us know when it was safe to go back.

"Maybe we could go out for a bit." I suggested, knowing Bella wanted to be away for a while.

"Think Teddy would like that?" She asked. It was pretty cold outside and she didn't want him to be sick.

"Yeah, we'll bundle him up. C'mon, ask your sister and we'll go somewhere we can talk freely. There's something you should know." I decided on telling them what I had heard before we left Hogsmeade and things I heard in Narcissa's mind just now. Putting it all into perspective was eye opening.

I needed to tell Bella about it. I didn't want her to get mad at me if I held things back.

She went to collect Teddy's things while I put all our gifts into one of those bags Bella loved to carry around. I was done quickly, bringing everything into my car as fast as I could.

Vivi and Bella were saying goodbye to their friends, hugging them and letting them know about the New Year party they would hold at their mother's house. They finished putting on their coats and hats, Bella taking extra care to make sure Teddy was warm enough to go out, and we headed out.

"Thanks for the ride." Vivi said as she got into the car, which I had left running so it would be warm enough when they got in.

"Of course. Though I did want to talk to both of you about something. Is there someplace we could talk privately but still take Teddy?" I explained. He still didn't have control over his features, so his face and hair changed a lot depending on what he saw, and even though he was wearing a hat, he loved changing his nose and that would not bode well with muggles.

"We could go to the Leaky Cauldron, or better yet, let's try Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, he sells hot beverages during winter. It's more secluded than the Leaky Cauldron and less shady. That pub's not for Teddy." Bella argued as she strapped Teddy in and went to the passenger side.

I nodded, taking off towards said pub. It took us a little while to get there due to the snow, but it was still relatively fast. Bella took Teddy from the car while Vivi went ahead and opened the portal with her wand.

In no time at all, the four of us were sitting in an almost deserted Ice Cream Parlor drinking hot chocolate. Well, Vivi and Bella were drinking while Teddy slept in my fiancee's arm and I watched.

"So, what was it that you wanted to tell us?" Bella asked as she adjusted her nephew on her lap.

"First of all, I didn't tell you before because I didn't understand it, not because I didn't want to. It didn't make much sense to me, but after your aunt's visit, it's a bit clearer. Also, with all that happened in the past couple of days I just wanted some quiet time. I think I should have learned by now there's no such thing with you involved." I smiled slightly towards my Bella.

"I also don't want you to worry too much, as I know you're both still working on coming to terms with all that happened."

"Just tell us." Vivi begged.

"It's not solid information, mind you, but when we were leaving Hogwarts, I heard something suspicious from someone's mind. It wasn't clear and I didn't recognize the voice, so I don't know who it was, but basically they were thinking about something else to do to scare 'the Tonks sisters'. The thought strayed to your uncle for a while, so I think he was involved somehow, though I'm not sure how. Now that he's on the loose, it's quite dangerous for you to be alone." I concluded.

"Your aunt was very worried about that, and she didn't want any more harm to come to you. She kept thinking back to all things Lucius had plotted against people, and somehow the connection was there. She also thinks he was somehow responsible for Vivi's poisoning."

Both sisters were staring at me in disbelief.

"When we get back to Hogwarts, I'll try to find the voice I heard. It shouldn't be that hard."

They nodded.

"I knew it wasn't just some school prank gone wrong. Slughorn tried to play it off, but I knew it was intentional. What now, what do we do?" Bella asked me, her eyes begging for some solution.

"I don't know, my love. I do know I'm not leaving any of you unprotected anymore until we go back to school. There's always gonna be one of us with you for now, okay?"

"Edward." She tried to argue, but that was something I wouldn't budge.

"Please, Bella. I know you can take care of yourself, but I could never live with myself if something happened to any of you while I had the power to help. He's a madman on the loose seeking revenge. Please, just go with it for once." I begged.

She sighed, looking at her sister for support.

"He's right, Bizzy. We do have more power with them around, spells won't affect them. It's better for us."

I smiled at my sister-in-law, glad she saw my way.

"Fine, okay. We'll stay over at Mum's and you can stay with us, that way we're all protected. You could get Esme and Carlisle to stay as well if it'll make you feel better."

She was still hurt over what Alice said, so I understood why my sister wasn't an option at the moment.

"It will." I smiled. "We'll take care of it, Bella. It's only for a few days, anyways, we'll soon be on our way to Hogwarts."

"What about Mum, Dora and Teddy? Will they be in danger?" Vivi asked. "As you said, we'll be gone soon."

"I don't think so, but we could suggest they stay in Hogsmeade for the rest of the school year or until he's captured again."

"Okay, so we'll need to go to your house first to grab our things before going to Mum's." Bella started. "I'm sorry, Edward, even without all this I would like to spend the holidays with my mum and sister. Especially after all that happened with Alice. I don't trust her right now and I truly don't want to spend the rest of my break in such an environment."

She looked apologetically at me, but I already knew she wouldn't want that.

"I know, love. And I agree with you, Alice took it too far. Her need to control everything got her _out_ of control. She needs to learn a few things about family values, we all do."

They looked at me, waiting for an explanation.

"We all noticed how all of you behave with one another. Your family, the Weasleys, Hermione, everyone. You're not related by blood but still treat each other as if you were. The Christmas party made me realize just how much we lack as a family unit."

Bella opened her mouth to argue, but I kept going.

"We live together and we know almost everything about each other, but we don't act as family most of the time. The roles we play were established by convenience and I never took the time to really appreciate them.

"Carlisle and Esme are truly our parents. They stepped in when we were all lost and confused and helped structure our lives, but we don't treat them like that. It was just a lie we had to use in order to live among humans, though at home we didn't follow that.

"That's why I think Alice acted as she did. There were never any boundaries set when it came to her, or any of us for that matter. She has this need to control everything around her, and we let it happen because no one wanted to upset her. It took you standing up to yourself and your sister for me to realize Alice's behavior was not always good for the rest of us. She needs to learn to respect us and our decisions.

"That is one thing we lack, you know. Respect. I saw how everyone acts around your mother and Mrs Weasley, as if their words are the law. It's not something forced, just like how both of them act around you all. Mutual respect, they know their boundaries and you know yours, which makes your relationship so much better."

"What are you talking about, Edward, I know how much you respect Carlisle and Esme." Bella finally interrupted me.

"Of course I do, but it's not the same. I don't know how to explain it, we just feel different towards each other."

I truly didn't know how to explain it better, so I let it go for now.

Teddy woke up from his nap a few minutes later, looking around confused before seeing Bella and smiling.

"Had a good nap, buddy?" She asked as she played with his fingers.

He gurgled, making some unidentifiable noises. In his mind I could see an image of Bella, Vivi and me, letting me know he knew with whom he was.

"He's hungry." I let her know.

Smiling, she took something from her bag and put it on the table. Before opening, she asked Mr Fortescue if he could bring her a spoon. Teddy was being fed mashed apples and bananas in no time.

We spent the rest of the day talking and discussing our plans. Bella would talk to her mom and sister once we got back, and hopefully we'd be able to protect them from there.

My fiancée also theorized that Malfoy wouldn't do anything right now. She was under the impression some Death Eaters were still out there carrying on with their master's plan, though they were significantly weaker at the moment.

I couldn't help but agree with it. We didn't kill all of them during the battle, and it would be obvious for them to want revenge. This would never end, there would always be someone wanting to avenge someone else.

It was about five when we left to go to my house.

"I have to warn you," I started once I had parked, "the house is really crazy. Alice really overdid it."

Both sisters nodded.

"We'll be gone soon, Edward. I just want to talk to Carlisle and Esme so they can come with us. There's almost nothing to pack, anyways, we should be out quickly."

I nodded in agreement.

Bella unbuckled her nephew while Vivi and I waited. Both girls held on to me as we walked the few steps into the house, scared of slipping on the ice and falling.

They gasped loudly when they saw the interior, but otherwise said nothing. Teddy closed his eyes for a minute, the brightness hurting him.

"Told you." I murmured. "Let's go upstairs to pack."

We all ran up the stairs as fast as we could and soon Bella was throwing everything she had scattered around the room into her trunk. Teddy was sitting in the middle of the bed laughing as he saw his aunt run around.

Since she had only spent a day or so here, there wasn't much of a mess and she was done in under ten minutes. I threw some of my clothes in there, as well as some things I wanted to bring with me. When we were done, I grabbed her trunk and took in downstairs, going back up to get Vivi's.

My family was waiting for me when I got back down. They were all sitting in the living room, half the lights thankfully turned off as they followed my every move.

"We need to talk to you." I said as I sat Vivi's trunk next to Bella's by the door.

"Edward." Esme looked at me with a pained expression. "_Is Bella very mad at us?"_

I shook my head, letting her know it wasn't _her _Bella was mad at.

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for another five minutes as we waited for the Tonks'.

The three of them came down, Teddy looking around in fascination now that the lights weren't hurting his eyes.

Bella sat down next to me, her nephew safe in her arms, while her sister chose a chair not far from us. We were all facing the rest of my family.

"What do you need to tell us?" Jasper asked, surely picking up on our emotions.

"Well, as you can see..." I started. "Bella and Vivi decided on spending the rest of the holidays at their mom's house. I will join them as well."

Their minds were strangely quiet for this.

"I also wanted to ask if Carlisle and Esme would mind joining us." Bella asked.

They all looked at her, their thoughts showing they didn't understand the request.

"Her uncle is a crazed man." I told them. "And I don't want them unprotected, no matter what. We aren't susceptible to spells, so we can help."

"And I'd prefer if Carlisle and Esme could come with us as well." Bella finished off. "It would help keeping Edward from going crazy." She winked at me. "And I'm sure my mother would appreciate it as well."

"_Are you sure, Edward?" _Carlisle asked in his mind. I nodded at him, smiling slightly in silent conversation. Besides the protection help, it would be a good opportunity to talk to them both about our discoveries.

Esme and Carlisle seemed to have a quick silent conversation, and I pretended not to hear as they decided.

"It would be an honor." Esme finally answered, and my Bella let out a sigh of relief.

"_Guess I did screw things up."_ I could hear Alice's thoughts, but for now decided on ignoring her. She would need more than that to earn my trust back.

We waited another ten minutes for them to gather their things, making small talk with Rosalie and Emmett. We told them what we thought about Lucius and his escape and what to look for on the news to see if it's related to him.

When Carlisle and Esme were ready to go, we bade the others goodbye and let them know we'd keep in touch and that that New Year party at the Tonks' was still on.

They followed us on their car, both showing a bit of relief from being out of the strained environment that was created in our home.

"This is a nice house." Esme said as we walked in. We both parked in their garage because of the cold, and the girls had ran in while I took care of the bags with Carlisle.

"Thank you." I heard Mrs Tonks reply.

"Mum, they're going to stay here until we go back to school." Bella said as we all sat down. Narcissa and Draco were still there, sipping their tea and looking better than a few hours ago.

"Why?" Mrs Tonks replied, merely curious.

Bella rolled her eyes at me, "Protection."

"Oh, and we'd be a lot less worried if you, Dora and Teddy stayed in Hogsmeade for the rest of the school year." I said before I lost them. "We don't know what's going to happen, but Bella had some theories that we don't want to prove right."

"Please, Mum?" Bella added. She didn't like having to rely on others for her protection, but that didn't apply to her family. She would do anything for her family.

They all agreed quite easily, which made me sigh in relief.

Esme and Mrs Tonks started a conversation about the house, while Carlisle looked around in fascination. Most things inside were magical, from pictures to clocks to fireplaces, and it was all incredible to him. I could tell he would enjoy his time here.

They stayed up until around midnight. Narcissa and Draco would spend the night before going back to their house, and they retreated early to the guest room.

When all the Tonks were fast asleep, I went downstairs to talk to my parents.

"Thanks for agreeing with this." I said as I sat down in front of them.

"It's no trouble, Edward." Esme smiled at me. "It gave us the chance to leave the madness that is our house at the moment."

"Yeah, sorry about that." I replied, running my hand through my hair.

"It's not your fault, my son." Carlisle said. "Alice got into this because of her actions alone, and not you nor Bella had anything to do with it. I confess I didn't like it when Bella first called attention to it that day, but I can see she was right."

I nodded. I knew my family hadn't liked it much when Bella called Alice out on what she was doing last summer, but I'm glad they're seeing it now. Bella was right, and it took her – an outsider – to show us how we were all behaving as a family.

"There's something else we need to talk to you about, but I want Bella here for that."

"_You made a decision?" _Carlisle asked, and I merely nodded in response.

Leaving them to it, I went back into Bella's room where I spent the rest of the night.

Her aunt and cousin left the next morning, and we all seemed lighter once they did. We spent the day going through all the Christmas gifts we got and sorting them out. Bella was delighted with the new books she got, and it made me happy to see her like this.

Once they had lunch, Bella and her family sat down again on the living room floor with parchments and ideas. I made my way to them, but Carlisle and Esme seemed reluctant to join us.

"Esme, what do you think about this centerpiece?" Bella asked as she showed my mother a picture they had come up with. Esme beamed, sitting down next to Bella to see all they had done so far.

"I wanted you to help, Esme." Bella whispered as they looked through things. "That's another reason we chose you two for this protection thing. I'm not comfortable with Alice at the moment, but I didn't want to keep you out of anything. You're important to me."

Esme's smile was beautiful as she heard that. She was scared my Bella would shut them all out because of what my sister said, but she's not like that.

We spent the afternoon planning and organizing everything. Bella had to choose her sisters' and friends' dresses, but almost everything else had been decided.

When night came, Bella and I took the opportunity to talk to my parents. She hadn't told her sisters about her plans yet, but we wanted to tell Carlisle and Esme together.

"Is something wrong, Edward?" Esme asked, her beautiful face marred by a frown.

"No, nothing's wrong, but we wanted to tell you something. It is of the utmost importance that you do not tell anyone else, though, no family, no one at Hogwarts, no one."

She nodded with her eyes wide open, wondering in her mind what was going on.

Bella took my hand in hers as we got comfortable on the couch. Esme did the same to Carlisle, who was smiling softly, knowing what we were going to tell her.

"Maybe I should go get that present you got me?" Bella said. I nodded, and asked her to bring the one she gave me as well, so we could tell both of them we were absolutely sure about our decision.

She was back in no time, holding two small boxes in her hands.

"Carlisle knows a bit about this, but we wanted you to know as well, Esme." I started, suddenly getting nervous and repeating myself.

"A few months ago, Bella made an astonishing discovery." I smiled at my fiancée. "She found a book that told us about something so improbable, it took me a while to just get around to the idea."

"_What is it?" _She asked in her mind, obviously anxious.

"She found out that, if a male vampire mates with a female human, she is able to get pregnant."

I could hear Esme gasp loudly as she reached for Carlisle's hand once again.

"It shocked me as well, and it took me some time to reach a decision. Bella is adamant we go through with it, and being here, seeing her with her family, her nephew, I know she'll be the best mother in the world. And I want it. I truly do." I said as I handed them both gifts.

"The decision was not easy, there are so many factors we still don't know about it and I got the feeling the author of the book truly wrote all he and the hybrid knew."

"Hybrid?" Esme asked as she opened Bella's tiny box, cooing over the small shoes.

"Yes, he was half-human and half-vampire. He said he could eat human food or drink blood, he had a heartbeat and he had a lot of vampire characteristics, such as speed and overly acute senses."

Esme had now opened the other box, her eyes getting misty as she once again saw the small bracelet.

"Our child will be half and half, but we have the advantage of my world to help us." Bella continued. "My mother is very good with healing spells, and it would probably be a good idea if both her and you, Carlisle, were in the room during my labor."

Carlisle nodded gravely, knowing the main point of my refusal at first, but Esme was puzzled.

"The human died, Esme." I told her bluntly. "The hybrid bit his way out."

My mother covered her mouth with a hand in shock.

"That's not going to happen, though. As I said, my mother can heal me very quickly."

"What else do you know?" They were both eager now.

"Well, we know he grew up quickly, but that can change apparently. He looked like an eighteen-year-old though he was over fifty at the time. His eyes were normal colors, his was brown and he had dark skin, since he was a descendent of an Amazonian tribe."

"This is wonderful." Esme looked at us in awe as she still admired the tiny contraptions in her hands. "Why does it have to be a secret?"

Bella sighed, resting her head on my shoulder.

"It's a difficult subject to many." I started. "I know you are very rational, and we didn't want to keep you in the dark, but you've seen how everything has been lately. The others are not ready to know, and we also don't want to get anyone's hopes up. What if it doesn't happen?" I told them.

"We also know about Rosalie's desire to be a mother." Bella continued. "And we just don't want to deal with her knowing about it before time." She looked apologetic. "I know you always wanted a child as well, Esme, but I know it's different with you."

"_I just wanted my own child back." _She sighed, understanding where we were going.

"I know Rosalie wouldn't let it go. She would exhaust all possibilities before realizing no one in my world could change her back into a human, nor could we make the changes her body would need to go through."

Esme nodded, "You're right. I do know it's not possible, and I have made peace with it, but we all know Rose." She smiled slightly. "I won't tell anyone, but can I just say now I can't wait for you to make me a Mémé." Her smiled got bigger.

"Mémé?" Bella asked with a smile.

"It's 'grandma' in French, plus it goes well with my name and when I don't look old enough to be a grandmother out here in the muggle world, we could still use it." She smiled brightly.

"You're right, it does sound good." Bella agreed. "What about you, Carlisle, what do you want to be called?"

He truly gave it some thought before replying, "Oh well, if Esme's going with French, I wouldn't mind being Papi." He smiled.

I sighed in relief when Bella announced she was going to bed. It had all gone better than expected, though I still had some things to discuss with my parents.

I went upstairs to see Bella to bed and came back once she was fast asleep.

Sitting down on the sofa, my parents soon joined me.

"I'm glad you chose this, Edward." Carlisle clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You'll never regret it."

I nodded. "I know. We still have some things to go through first, like the wedding, deciding on where we would live for a while – it's going to be some time before we move again, so we have to choose just right. We'll most likely stay in England, maybe buy a house somewhere near Bella's grandmother's house. Her sister will be living there, and probably Mrs Tonks as well.

"We would like to have our own house, but we don't want you too far away. Things might be strained now, but you are my parents and I will always want you around, especially if we have our child."

"I know Alice hurt you, guys." Esme said, putting her hand over mine. "And I see where we all went wrong with her. I think we should all sit down before we go back to Hogwarts and talk it all out."

"It's not just her, Esme. Didn't you see the way Bella, her immediate family and her friends behaved around each other? Those people are family. It doesn't matter that most of them are not blood related, they still treat each other as if they were.

"I have seen Hermione's protective streak when Rosalie tried to explain her actions. I know they would all do _everything_ for each other, no matter what. Can any of us say that? Can we face each other and say we know one another so well there's no need to ask for respect, or quiet time, or even an honest opinion?

"We don't. I can say I know you all most of all, but it's not my own doing. I never had to try because I could always hear what you were thinking. I never asked you what your favorite flower is, Esme, but I know it's lavender because you thought about it once.

"Or you, Carlisle, we never truly talked about your struggles or weaknesses even though I know them all."

They looked at me intently, and I knew I had their full attention.

"I think that's what happened with Alice, and what could happen with the others. We enabled her, never truly telling her to stop and relying on her for decisions. It was wrong of us, but it was wronger of her for letting it happen, because she knew about it and basked in the attention.

"Rosalie needs to learn to respect people and she has to realized things won't go her way just because she said so. She should accept defeat once in a while, and listen to people. Have you seen how all the younger crowd in Bella's group treat the adults? Mrs Tonks, Mrs Weasley, even Mr Weasley who is more laid back, they all have Bella's and everyone else's attention. They are respected and they respect in return.

"That's something else we need to work on. It doesn't matter you barely look thirty, you are our parents and we should respect you no matter what. I was guilty of disrespect over stupid things, and I apologize again for that. You didn't have to keep us around after we were used to this world, but you did. The least we can do is treat you like the mother and father you truly are." I ranted.

"Jasper and Emmett aren't as bad, though Emmett should learn a thing or two about respect. I know he likes to joke, but sometimes it goes too far and no one tells him that. Jasper is the opposite, I can see he sometimes doesn't feel comfortable at home with us. Have we made it so hard for him to accept us as such?"

"I see your point, Edward." Carlisle interrupted me, "and you're right, we should revisit our family life. Esme's idea is good, we should have a meeting with all of us, Bella included, to discuss everything. She was the catalyst, but we'd been sitting on this for over fifty years."

"It's not her fault." I tried to defend her.

"We know, Edward. She was right in calling out Alice's behavior the first time, and though it's hard to admit, she was right in not involving everyone in her wedding plans. She has her priorities and maybe we should all see the way she behaves around her family and ours to see just how different it is."

"You've seen how she's been the past couple of weeks." I told them. "Just stay here for a few days and you'll see how her behavior differs. She's a lot more carefree around here, which is expected since these are people she's been around since she was born."

Esme nodded. "She needs to start to trust us again."

"She trusts you, Esme. She wouldn't ask you to help her with something as sacred to her as our wedding if she didn't. And you as well, Carlisle, she trusts you as well. The one thing I know for sure, though, is that it will take a long time for Bella to trust Alice again, maybe it won't ever happen.

"What she said hurt my Bella deep. It's one thing to not agree with something, it's another to criticize everything and insult others. Combined with Alice's behavior all those months ago, towards the family member Bella loves the most, it'll be difficult for them to be true friends." I gave them my opinion.

"I agree." Carlisle sighed. "And I never thought I'd say this, but I'm on Bella's side with this. My daughter went too far with her criticism."

We spent the rest of the night discussing things, getting to truly know each other. It was amazing how much I still didn't know about the people I have called my parents for over a century.

When dawn broke, I knew the Tonks' would awaken soon. When we heard Teddy's cry, Esme got up almost immediately, though I stopped her before she could do anything.

"Just stay here and observe." I asked her.

She sat back down with a small smile and we quietly saw as Mrs Tonks got into the kitchen to start on breakfast.

It wasn't long before Dora and Teddy made their way down, both smiling as she softly sang some lullaby to him.

She sat him down in a high chair and walked over to her mother to peck her on the cheek before anything else.

"Watcha cooking?" She asked as she looked over Mrs Tonks' shoulder.

"Just omelets. Nothing fancy." My mother-in-law shrugged her shoulders as she continued to mix the ingredients.

"Everything you do is delicious, Ma." Dora smiled as she finally got around to getting Teddy's food. She fed him some mushed fruits and he happily ate it all as she playfully made sounds.

Not even half an hour later, both Bella and Vivi came down the stairs hand in hand, both looking groggy but happy. They both made a beeline for their mother, kissing her cheek and wishing a good morning before checking the stove. Bella greeted her older sister and nephew with a kiss, making faces so he would laugh.

Vivi did the same and rushed around the kitchen to set the table, while Bella lightly bumped her mother away from the stove so she would sit down. Bella liked to cook and she didn't want Mrs Tonks to strain herself after the past couple of days.

With the table sat and the food ready, they all sat down to eat. They spoke about their plans for the day, and Bella's sisters got really excited when she suggested they get Hermione and Ginny so they could go look at dresses.

It was only after they were done eating that Bella noticed us sitting in her living room. She smiled brightly at me and motioned for me to join them.

Doing what I had been doing since getting here, I greeted Mrs Tonks with a peck on the cheek, before doing the same to Dora and Vivi. Teddy got a rub on his head since his face was covered in mush, and finally I sat down next to Bella, pecking her lips lightly.

At first I wasn't comfortable about doing it in front of her mother, but Mrs Tonks just said it wasn't inappropriate to show such love, so I just went with it.

"Did you talk?" Bella asked as she peeked into the living room again, where Esme and Carlisle were sat with their heads close together, talking softly.

"Yes, it was a really good thing as well." I beamed at her.

"Don't you look handsome smiling like that, my son." Mrs Tonks smiled at me, though all I could do was stare at her in shock.

She had never called me that, so it was an appropriate response.

Judging by Bella's gasp next to me, she didn't know about it either.

"What? You're about to marry my child, Edward. I've got to know you so much better this past few days, and I wanted you to know I do consider you as my son, just like Remus."

Dora smiled slightly at the mention of her late husband, but all I could do was get up and hold myself so I wouldn't crush my mother-in-law with the hug I gave her.

"Thank you, Mrs Tonks. You don't know how much that means to me."

"Oh, enough with the missus, Edward. My name's Andromeda, use it. Maybe when you're ready, you'll call me Mum."

I nodded as she patted my back, our awkward position not even slightly putting her off.

"Now call those parents of yours over here, we have so much to talk about."

Carlisle and Esme had heard, so they walked over to the kitchen just as I was sitting back down. Bella looked at me with tears in her eyes as she wrapped an arm around my torso, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I love you." She stated.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." I didn't have anything else to say.

While my family was crumbling right in front of my eyes, it felt amazing to know I was included somewhere.

"_I see it now, Edward." _Esme told me as she sat down next to Mrs – I mean, Andromeda.

"_It's truly a beautiful thing to see, Edward."_ Carlisle put in his two cents as he got comfortable.

I wish things had been different with my sister and subsequently all that it led to, but I couldn't regret getting to know Bella's family. They were an example of what it should be like to live in harmony. Of course they have their fights, but it never gets to insults or demeaning the other.

If anything, these people have taught me something I hope to share with my siblings and parents.

Despite it all, respect was the one thing we truly needed and really lacked in our household.

Maybe after this talk I am dreading, things will get better.

One could only hope.

* * *

_Hope you liked to see a bit more inside Edward's mind. He's more rational than canon, btw. And most things I wrote here I truly believe, regarding the family. The way I saw it in Meyer's books, they lacked a lot of things. _

_Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays. _

_Review?_


	26. Chapter 26

_Hey guys! Yes, I'm still here. Ran into a few problems, lost my HD a day after I posted the last chapter (luck I posted it, uh?). Spent some time away enjoying my vacation - it's been waaay too hot where I live (Brazil, summer, you get the point) - got to play in the snow and see great cities in the US. If you are close to NYC, go to the Harry Potter exhibition! It is a fan's dream come true! I think it runs until April. If you are a Paramore fan, I went to Franklin, TN and it's the cutest little town ever! I recommend. _

_Anyways, I've been trying to get this chapter done for a while, hope it's an okay one. I'm going to speed things along soon, but for now enjoy New Year's Eve. _

_Disclaimer: J K Rowling and S Meyer own it all. All I own is Vivi. _

* * *

Chapter 26

Despite being reluctant about it at first, having Edward here at my mother's house was truly great. Carlisle and Esme were here as well, and after our talk last night, I knew I had made the right decision when I asked them both to come.

I was absolutely livid with Alice, and I wasn't sure if I could ever call her my friend again. She truly hurt me with her spiteful words and uncalled for criticism over things she simply didn't know.

I had thought this before when I had my first fight with Alice, but she simply did not understand me. Or she chose not to, I wouldn't know. For her, and as I had learned, for Rosalie as well, things should always go her way. She felt the need to control my feelings the first time, and then she felt the need to control things that were closer to my heart than she could understand.

At the moment, all I could think of was how little she took my opinions into consideration, even when we were back in the United States. Back then I hadn't noticed it much, but I wasn't really _there_. Not being able to find my sister had left me in a terrible state, or as Edward called it, zombie-like.

She had dragged me into a shopping trip even though I had told her I didn't like it. She insisted on buying expensive things even though I begged her not to spend so much money on me. She always had an opinion about my clothes, my hair, always looking at me with a disapproving stare.

I took it all in stride because I had wanted a friend and I needed a distraction. I shouldn't have let it get that far, but I truly was out of myself at the time.

Now I had to deal with wedding plans and mincing my words so I wouldn't upset the rest of the family.

I had no qualms when it came to speaking up, but I didn't like hurting people. It was one thing if I was hurt first and wanted to defend myself or someone close to me, it was something else to just say things because I wanted someone to feel my pain.

The morning after we had our talk with Carlisle and Esme, I caught all three of them sitting on our living room, staring at me and my family with a smile on their faces. I knew Edward was feeling _something_ about his family life, but I didn't understand it much.

He said he wanted his family to behave like mine, but I didn't know what he meant by that. Instead of questioning him, though, I let it go for the time being. I'll understand in time, I guess.

"Your mother called me her son." Edward smiled as he closed his eyes, inhaling deep. We were sitting on my bed after helping cleaning the mess we made during breakfast.

"That was surprising, but she really meant it, baby." I told him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I know." He replied, his voice still carrying a shocked tone. "I don't think I've ever felt like this, Bella. Amidst everything that is going on, I know I have someone I can count on, unconditionally, who considers me family. It's... it's priceless." He sighed.

"Are you all right, Edward? You've been talking about family and respect for a while, and I don't understand it. I don't want to overstep any boundaries, but you know I'm here if you want to talk." I offered kindly.

"I know, my love. I just have a lot of thoughts going through my head – my own thoughts for a change – and I'm trying to make sense of it all. I'm sorry I can't explain it better."

"Hey, it's okay." I replied instantly. "I just don't like to see you hurt."

I felt him chuckled. "I know. Carlisle and Esme told me we'll be having a family meeting soon, before we go back to Hogwarts, and you have been invited to tag along."

"Why?" I immediately asked. Why would I be summoned to one of their meetings?

"Bella, sweetheart." He sighed, finally opening his eyes and looking down on me. "You inadvertently set everything in motion."

I gasped. Was this about the Alice thing?

"Hey, it wasn't a bad thing, it was actually very eye-opening." He continued. "We have let things go on like this for over fifty years, and you were the only one strong enough to put your foot down and stand up for yourself. We all enabled some behaviors in our home that should have been dealt with a long time ago.

"I admit, the first time you called out on Alice's behavior, everyone was quite annoyed with you. I mean, how dare you say something like that to innocent, little Alice, who always wanted the best for all of us."

"I didn't -" I tried to explain but he interrupted me.

"I didn't think like that, I was on your side all along." He assured. "I caught on to what was happening faster than everyone, but when they saw her behave like that again about our wedding, they regretted thinking like that.

"You opened my eyes, and Carlisle's and Esme's as well, about a lot of things in our family. That is why Carlisle thought it was important for you to be there. You can see things in a different perspective since you haven't been influenced by fifty years of living together."

I sighed. "Okay, I'll go. Though I'll mostly just sit and observe."

He smiled, "it's okay. Just being there will help."

Soon we moved on from that topic and started discussing the New Year party we were holding in two days.

It would be a pretty simple gathering, all we truly needed were food, beverages and space. Our living room was big enough for everyone that was coming, but it was cluttered with things so we had to clean it up a bit.

"Hey, Bee, do you have a minute?" Dora poked her head into the room.

"Sure, be right there." I kissed Edward lightly before following my sister into her room.

Vivi was there as well, both smiling happily.

"Look." Dora excitedly showed me a muggle magazine, pointing towards something.

"Oh, it's beautiful." I smiled as I saw the dress. It was lavender, floor length, and had a bow wrapping around the waist. It was simple, elegant and just perfect for my maid-of-honors.

"And they even have a darker version we could get for Hermione and Ginny." Vivi clapped her hand excitedly.

I smiled at my sisters, so happy about all of this.

"We could get Mione and Ginny to come over tomorrow and we'll go see this shop." I looked over at the magazine to find the shop's name, finding it easily. "Oh, it's that one we saw when we were buying our gifts." I let them know.

"Oh, that was a nice place." Dora agreed. "I'll go owl the girls and you should go find ourselves a ride, Bella." She laughed. "It's a muggle shop, don't think they'd be connected to the floo network."

I laughed along with them, but promised to ask Edward for a ride. I decided to call Mum and Esme to tag along, and maybe Carlisle if he felt like it. Maybe they would like that.

"Yes, I'll drive you over there." Edward said as soon as I got back to my room. I chuckled, knowing he had heard everything we'd talked about.

"Great. Maybe one day you could teach me how to drive?" I asked him.

"One day, but definitely not here in London." He smiled. "Maybe after you're changed."

I raised an eyebrow at him, and he just chuckled again.

We spent the rest of the day talking with my family about everything we could think of, just enjoying each other's company.

Next morning, I was woken up way earlier than I wanted by two very excited sisters.

"Wake up, Bizzy Bee." I heard one of them yell as the other shook me. "We're going to buy our dresses today, you have to get up." Dora whined as I slowly opened my eyes.

Vivi jumped on my bed, sitting down next to me and with a mischievous look started tickling me. Dora joined her and soon I couldn't even breath anymore.

"Edward," I gasped out as I saw my fiancé next to the door, "help me, please." I tried to say, but I wasn't sure if it all came out. I was gasping for air.

"I'm up!" I was finally able to shout, breaking free from my evil sisters and glaring at my fiancé. "Thanks for nothing."

He shrugged, completely unapologetic.

"They asked me not to."

Not saying anything, I just went for a quick shower, getting ready for the day. I was glad I wouldn't be the one trying on dresses this time around, because it truly was something I despised. Choosing for the others would be great, though.

They were all in the kitchen when I got downstairs, including Ginny and Hermione.

"Bell!" Mione exclaimed as she got up to give me a hug. "Dora said they found a dress, oh, it's going to be so much fun today." She was truly excited about it, and it made me smile.

Ginny greeted me just as excitedly, and soon we were all eating.

Edward left a few minutes before us to warm the car, and soon my family and friends were making our way to the shop we wanted.

Everyone was chatting loudly, talking about everything and anything until we reached our destination. Swiftly we all left the car, trying to be as quick as possible so people wouldn't notice just how many of us were in that vehicle.

As we entered the shop, Dora headed towards a salesclerk, "we have an appointment for Isabella Tonks."

The lady got us to a small room and soon enough we were all looking through things. Thankfully both my sisters had the sense to keep their hairs a normal-ish color, dark brown, though Dora kept some pink streaks in it.

Teddy was in Edward's arms, wearing a hat so people wouldn't see his hair as well.

Vivi soon found the dress they wanted and asked for their sizes and colors. All I had to do was sit down and wait for my sisters and friends to try them on.

"Mum, you and Esme should look for yours as well." I suggested.

"Maybe." Mum replied, looking around. "Not sure I'll find it here."

"Well, we won't know until we look, right?" Esme encouraged her, and soon both were off as well, leaving me with Edward, Carlisle and Teddy.

"Teddy is thirsty, Bell." Edward informed me. "He keeps thinking about a bottle and him drinking it." He chuckled, kissing my nephew's head lightly.

He will be a great dad.

I grabbed his bottle from Dora's bag and asked a clerk to fill it with water for me, handing it to Edward soon after. Teddy hummed quietly as he drank.

It wasn't long before four girls walked around giggling, twirling and just looking beautiful.

"It's perfect." I whispered. It truly was, they were simple and elegant, and even though they were the same dress, each girl looked different in it. It didn't even clash with Ginny's fiery red hair.

"We're so taking them." I spoke a little louder, getting up and walking towards my sisters. "You look so beautiful." I smiled with teary eyes.

"Thanks, Bee. I love this." Vivi squealed as she twirled around some more.

"You girls look lovely as well." I address my friends. Their dresses were a shade or two darker, and they looked amazing. "There's no doubt, and no need to try on anything else. These are the ones we'll take."

The clerk heard us, approaching us to see if the dresses needed any adjustments, but we told her we'd take care of it.

We stayed for another half hour while Carlisle took care of the bill – he kept insisting on doing it, and I got tired of fighting – and Mother and Esme tried on a few dresses.

None of them appealed to either woman so we left the store with only the four dresses. Realizing we still had to buy supplies for the party, we drove home to drop off half the people with us before going to the shop.

Edward, Hermione, Ginny and I quickly ran around a muggle grocery shop, trying to buy the kinds of food we knew our family and friends liked. It took us about half an hour to choose and pay, and soon we were back home.

Mione left for a while, coming back soon with Ron and Harry, and soon we all got to work. Edward helped me in the kitchen, along with my mum and Esme, while the girls tried to make the living room less cluttered.

We got basically everything ready for tomorrow, though I still needed to mentally prepare myself. I didn't want to talk to Alice, but I also didn't want to act cold towards her.

As it got dark, my friends said their goodbyes before using the fireplace to go home, and I looked around, satisfied with our work.

The sofas in the living room were shrunk and set aside and instead they had conjured bean bags that were spread through the room. It made the room twice more spacious and lighter as well.

The decoration was mostly white and gold, it was very simple and yet looked amazing. We didn't need anything big, anyways.

As I got ready for bed, Edward talked to his parents a bit more about this meeting they wanted to have. Carlisle said it would be best to have it on the second, since we'd be up late on the first and we would go back to school on the fourth.

I agreed to it, even though I really didn't want to participate. I didn't want people pointing fingers at me and saying it was all my fault, that their lives were perfect before I showed up and whatever else I was sure to hear.

Before going to bed, I made sure to drink some of the dreamless potion. I hadn't taken it since we got home because I had Edward with me at night, but I knew the anxiety for tomorrow's party and then the impending meeting would probably bring out some unpleasant dreams, so I'd rather not take the chance.

The potion worked better than I expected, relaxing me almost instantly as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Edward woke me up at about eight the next morning, letting me know my mum had already started on some breakfast. I dressed quickly before making my way to the kitchen, where most of my family was already sitting.

"Morning." I greeted everyone as I stacked some pancakes onto a plate. Drowning them in syrup, I hummed happily as I took the first bite. My mum made the best pancakes.

Dora and I cleaned the dishes quickly before we set up everything we would need for tonight. We decided to start early, so we would only need to get everything cooked or assembled later. So I enlisted the help of Edward to cut up vegetables while I put the small turkey we had got on the oven.

With my fiancé's ability to do everything twice as fast, we were done way before lunch, so the two of us and my sisters sat down on the bean bags to read and talk.

"Do you have a guest list yet?" Dora asked as she paged through a magazine.

I sighed. "No, not yet. Maybe we should start now? So we have time to organize the food and everything else later. We won't have that much free time at school." I looked up at Edward while speaking so I could see his reaction.

"Yes, we should do that." He smiled at me.

"Are you sure you don't have anyone else to invite, baby?" I murmured.

"No, sweetheart. Just the five of us and maybe my extended family. There were five of them the last time we talked, but that's it."

"I just feel bad." I sighed. "I don't want you to feel excluded just because I have a secret."

"I don't feel that way." He said as he pulled my chin up with his hand. "I don't have any living relatives, I never made friends in school and I really don't relate well to people in general so even around vampires my friends are few. I want you to feel free to invite whoever you want, no matter the number.

"This is your day, Bella. If you want a hundred guests, we'll have them all. I don't want you to feel limited because of my lack of social skills. Plus, your friends are now my friends, so I'll have a few people there for me as well." He joked.

"Okay." I agreed. "I don't think I know a hundred people, though." I replied cheekily.

He laughed. "I'm pretty sure you _know_ a hundred people, but I don't think we should invite Slytherins to our wedding."

"Maybe just my cousin." I countered. "But you're right, I am not friends with any of them."

We stopped stalling, and Edward ran to get a piece of parchment and a pen so we could write down the names I could remember.

My father had two brothers and a sister, but they didn't want anything to do with dad after he went to Hogwarts, and both my grandparents on that side were dead, so as actual family I only had my mom, sisters, nephew and my aunt and cousin.

We added my closest friends from Hogwarts, and expanded from there. Some people I felt compelled to invite, like all involved with the Order. Others I felt I should invite out of obligation, like some schoolmates I talk to but am not really close.

When I finished I had about fifty names down.

Edward had ten.

I tried not to feel bad about it, but it was difficult.

With the rough draft of guests, we could know how much food we would need, as well as the number of tables and chairs we should rent.

Sixty people was a reasonable number and we would be able to fit everyone in Grandma's backyard easily. I was glad her house wasn't in the city.

It was about four in the afternoon when Mione and the rest of the gang arrived, and we all jumped into making the rest of the food and cleaned up a little. I took a quick shower when we were done and got downstairs just as the first guests arrived.

The Weasleys and Lovegoods were here, and we also invited some people from the Order as well as Neville, his girlfriend Hannah and his grandmother.

By ten, everyone but the Cullens had arrived. I hoped they weren't all still mad at me; I really wanted them to come.

The living room was full of people talking and having fun, and we decided on just setting up a table with food and plates on the side; everyone could find a place to sit and eat wherever.

It was eleven when Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice finally arrived. Esme looked so worried; I was glad they were here.

Emmett greeted me first, as enthusiastically as ever.

"Whoa, lil' sis, what a party. I'm liking it already." He smiled as he hugged me.

"I'm glad, Em. I am really happy you decided to come."

"I wanted to be here a lot earlier." He whispered. "But someone – I'm not saying who – was being difficult. We almost left them behind."

I sighed. "Wait. Them?"

"Alice and Rose, dude. You really hit a nerve with Alice, but apparently Rose is offended as well for some reason." He continued to whisper. "I'm really sorry about all this." He hugged me again. "No matter what, I love you like a sister."

"I love you, too, Em." I hugged him as hard as I could.

Despite all, I felt glad he was on my side.

Jasper greeted me as well, visibly ignoring the glare I saw Alice give me.

"Thanks for coming." I smiled at him.

"No problem. I heard there would be food." He winked at me and I froze.

Jasper had just joked about blood. He had such an aversion to this kind of thing, it shocked me into silence for a moment.

He laughed loudly as he walked into the living room, finding Mr Weasley and quickly starting a conversation.

Alice and Rosalie didn't greet me and I felt a bit more relaxed at that. I wouldn't need to ignore them as they were doing it for me.

Edward and I mingled for a while, noticing a few of my friends had overdone a bit with the alcohol; Harry and Ron were on their way into being drunk, and Ginny was a little more than tipsy. I let Hermione know they could all sleep in here so she wouldn't have to apparate them all by herself and take care of them.

We all gathered in the living room at five to midnight. Everyone paired up with their significant other; I grabbed Edward's hand as we made our way to where my mum and sisters were. Teddy was already asleep.

They all counted down loudly and cheered as we reached midnight. A few people popped some fire whiskey or whatever they had brought along.

Edward kissed me soundly, making me smile.

"Happy New Year, my love." He whispered as he tucked some hair behind my ear.

"Happy New Year, baby." I replied as I hugged him.

Soon we were enveloped in a group hug by my sisters, who were screaming loudly and way more drunk than I had first thought.

"Happy New Year, Bizzy Bee." Dora screamed right into my ear, making me hide a grimace as she smacked my cheek with a loud kiss.

"To you, too, Dora." I laughed.

"Happyss Newss Yearsss." Vivi tried to say, but she was way too tipsy to form correct sentences.

It was after one in the morning when people started to leave. By two, everyone had gone, including Edward's siblings. I couldn't ignore Alice's glare as she left.

Edward and Carlisle helped bring my friends upstairs. Mum conjured a bed for Ginny in Vivi's room, and Ron and Harry got the guest room that had two beds. I made them all leave the doors open so we could help them if needed.

I got a pair of pyjamas for Hermione and we settled in my room. We both fell asleep quickly, though both of us woke up a few times during the night to help our friends.

Harry started giggling uncontrollably at around four and didn't stop until he couldn't breathe anymore. Ron got sick, but Hermione took care of him.

My sister and Ginny slept through the night, but both woke up with killing headaches in the morning.

"Worst night ever." Hermione plopped down on the seat next to mine as I munched on french toast.

"Why?" I looked at her. Both Ginny and Vivi had their heads down on the table, groaning every now and again. Mum gave them some potion, but they were still a bit sensitive to light.

"Ron almost puked on me." She shuddered as she grabbed a plate for herself. "Edward warned me just in time." She smiled appreciatively at Edward, who was sitting next to me.

"Lucky." I took another bite. "You girls should eat something. It'll help settle your stomach."

Vivi sighed but lifted her head, taking a bite of a slice of french toast; Ginny followed soon after.

Harry and Ron were very lethargic as they walked into the kitchen, both looking horrible.

"Bad night?" I joked.

Both of them groaned as they held their heads in their hands.

"Mrs Tonks has some potion for the headache somewhere." Hermione said as she got up, grabbing said potion and spooning a dose for each of the boys. "Eat." She ordered, putting a plate in front of them.

When they all started to feel better, the seven of us got around to cleaning my house up and putting everything back into place. My friends left soon after that.

"What should we do today?" Edward asked me.

I had no idea. I wanted to leave the house for a while, enjoy the day with my fiancé.

"I know. We could go to Grandma Tonks' house so you can see where I want to get married." I smiled at him.

He had been so good to me with the wedding planning. He gave his opinion, but never truly questioned my wants. I just hoped he would like the location I chose.

After putting on my winter jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves, I grabbed the key from Dora and we were off.

My grandmother had lived in a town called Hertford, north of London. It was about an hour away from our house and the perfect place.

Edward drove steadily and we made small talk in between my directions. The house wasn't actually _in_ the city, but in an isolated road, much like the Weasley's house. It had the privacy we all needed and beautiful scenery all around.

"Wow." I heard Edward whisper as we made our way through the driveway. It was a good thing he was immune to most spells, because the protection spells we had cast around were still up.

Any muggles that would find their way here would get confused and leave, much like what happens with Hogwarts. We did that after grandma died, just so we wouldn't have to worry about vandalism.

"It's incredible." He parked in front of the garage before running to get my door. "This is amazing, Bella."

My grandmother was an eccentric woman, and the house showed that. The architecture was inspired by castles, one of grandma's love. It had three levels and a basement, way too much for a family of six. It was my grandma's pride and joy, and it was a wonder my uncles and aunt didn't fight us for it.

I unlocked the front door as Edward looked around the porch. It went from side to side, spacious enough to hold hammocks and a small picnic table.

The ground level was basically one open room. The kitchen and dining room blended together in a nice way on the right and the living room was on the left. There was another room that grandma dubbed her sewing and knitting room, which looked over the backyard.

"Everything is so light." Edward commented.

The house was gray on the outside with the bricks visible; the windows and doors painted dark brown and dark blue roof. It actually had a round tower-like to make it look like a castle, which on the inside was turned into a small sitting room.

But inside most things were either white or light colors. The kitchen cabinets and dining room table were white with the counter tops black.

"I love the sofas." He smiled as he sat down in the living room. The sofas were light brown – white sofas were a nightmare to clean – and had some white and brown pillows arranged on them. There was a flat screen hanging on the wall and some cabinets and bookcases around the room.

Dora and mum only cast the protection spells on the driveway, so we had electricity and everything else working fine in the house.

I ran around opening all windows, though, because the house smelled like mold or something. It had been closed for a while now, and the stale smell just got to me.

"If it rains too hard, we can have the reception inside. We're going to put up a tent, but sometimes that's not enough." I told him as I opened the last window.

"It's a very good place." He nodded.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him upstairs with me, opening windows as we went by rooms.

"There are five rooms on this level." I tell him. "One ensuite for each of the children – my dad had three siblings – and my favorite one." I run towards the bigger room to the left, opening the door and running to open the window.

The library was my absolutely favorite place in this house. Whenever we were here, I would grab a book and sit down on the window seat that overlooked the backyard, losing myself in whatever story I was reading.

"I love this seat." I look out the window as I sit down. "It's one thing I've always wanted in my own house. This and the open room like downstairs."

"It is amazing in here." He sat down behind me, both of us looking outside.

"Do you see the gazebo? That's where I want us to get married." I point out to the small structure that sat further down the yard. "It's been my dream since I was a little girl." I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Then that's how it's going to happen." He kissed my neck as I closed my eyes, basking into the silence and peacefulness.

"See, the yard is big enough to hold everyone very comfortably." I pointed out the obvious after a few minutes of quiet. "We can decorate the deck and maybe cover up the pool so people don't have any stupid ideas."

He laughed. "We should probably do that. And maybe the aisle could be made up of flowers, we can plant them the week before. I'm a fast gardener."

"That's a great idea." I almost squealed.

We threw around a few more ideas before getting up.

I showed him the last level, which had the master bedroom and another study, before we went back downstairs.

"We can house your family in here, as well as my friends that will stay. The fireplace is connected to the floo network so my guests can use that, plus it's secluded so they can apparate as well.

"I'll probably set up base in the master bedroom since it's big enough so my bridesmaids and I can get ready. You can choose whichever room you want to get ready. Have you decided who will be your best man?"

"I'm thinking Jasper, but I want Harry and Ron to be part of the wedding party."

I nod, smiling at him. "So, you want my best friends to take over the wedding party?" I couldn't help but giggle. "What about your cousins, don't you want any of them in it?"

"No." He simply stated. "The only man is Eleazar, and we're not close enough for that. Plus, I like your friends."

"Well, with Jasper, Harry and Ron, that's three for my four bridesmaids. Anyone else? Emmett?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "Emmett can be part of it."

I showed him the basement last, which was mostly unfinished. It had the washing machine and dryer, a half finished play room and a bar.

"Maybe we could work on this room before Dora moves here. We could make a play room for Teddy." I suggested.

"Uhm, does this whole lot belong to your family?" He asked.

I nodded, wondering where he was going.

"Would your sister mind if we built a house on the other side the lot? It's a good distance away so we wouldn't be in the way, but you'd still be close to them."

"Really?" My eyes watered. "That would be so wonderful. But wouldn't it be dangerous? I would be a newborn, Edward, and I don't want to hurt my family." I panicked.

"We'll take care of you, Bella. Don't worry. Knowledge is always key, and you're going into this knowing what is going to happen, so you're actually more prepared than most vampires around."

I wasn't convinced, but decided to let it go. We were here to discuss our wedding, nothing else.

So we spent the rest of the day making plans, walking around the yard and imagining everything set up. He also worked out some things for the basement, and when it started to get dark we closed down the house and left.

We drove back to London in a peaceful silence, and had a great night with my family and his parents.

I was relaxed enough to sleep, but woke up with my stomach in knots. It was the day of the meeting, and I didn't have a good feeling about it.

Carlisle tried to calm my nerves during breakfast but I could barely touch my food, let alone be comforted.

Edward stuck by me as we left my house and once again when we went inside his place. He had his arm around my shoulders, keeping me close to him at all times.

As soon as we were in the living room I felt chills up my spine. Alice was glaring at me once again, though this time there was no party to help ignore it.

I sighed internally, closing my eyes as we sat down.

This would be a long day.

* * *

_Yep, it's gonna be a long day, alright. _

_Hope I haven't lost y'all yet. Please review?_


	27. Chapter 27

_What do you know, I'm still here. _

_I really am sorry about the sparse updating. I'm busy and when I have time I get easily distracted by many things and forget to write. _

_I hope there's still someone interested in this. _

_Disclaimer: S Meyer and JK Rowling own it all. _

* * *

Chapter 27

I watched the scenery as the train traveled through Scotland, back to Hogwarts.

The past two days have been trying and I was thrilled to go back to school.

I rested my head on the cold window, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I recounted what had happened that day in my mind.

We had walked into his house, Alice's glare still stuck in my mind. I had never seen her so vicious looking, and for a while I was truly scared she would attack me.

Edward had stirred me towards the couch, sitting as far away from everyone as it was possible in the living room. Carlisle and Esme had sat down closer to us then the rest of the family, and Jasper and Emmett weren't as close to their wives as usual.

"So," Carlisle started, "we are here to talk things through in a civilized manner." I held in my urge to snort. "This is a family meeting and we should be respectful towards each other."

"Why is she here, then?"Rosalie asked, nodding her head towards me. "She's not family."

"She's my fiancée. Also, Carlisle asked her to come and she did out of respect for him, not for you." Edward replied instantly, barely keeping the anger out of his voice.

"Some recent events brought some attention to things that have been happening in this family for a long time, and I think it's better we bring it all to the table so we can learn how to live together again."

I closed my eyes as Carlisle talked, but could still feel Alice's eyes on me. It was absolutely unnerving and I just wanted to leave.

"What's happening is that this little girl thinks she can come in and disrupt a perfectly fine set up." Alice pointed at me. "We were doing just fine without her."

"Really, Alice? The past two years meant nothing to you at all?" Edward raised his voice a little, but was otherwise controlled.

"Why should it? Everyone has precedence over me in Bella's eyes."

"Alice," Esme intervened, "your actions throughout the last year speak louder than everything else. There were some things you did and said that hurt deeply, and you simply expect everyone to bow down to your words. It's not how it happens."

"Yeah, well, it was never a problem before." She still stood her ground.

"It was, we just never admitted it. We let you, and Rosalie," Esme gave them both a pointed look, "dictate most of our lives. We enabled you, and that is our fault, but don't act naively and say you didn't know what you were doing, because I know that is not true."

Esme's calm voice and demeanor was getting to me. It cut deeply to think they had been holding onto this resentment for a long time.

"What? So wanting my family to dress the best, and having the best things I buy them is a bad thing?" She was digging herself just a bit deeper.

"It wasn't that, and you know it." Carlisle answered. "It was the lack of options. Edward is just now dressing with things he actually likes, because you wouldn't let him choose his own clothes, Alice. You'd guilt trip him every chance you had, and we let it happen because it was simply easier than to deal with your tantrums.

"You always need to have the final word, and we're tired of it."

"I don't _need _to have the final word." She almost yelled. "I can _see_ if you'll like the stuff or not, so why not just speed the process and be done with it?"

"Because you take away our freedom to choose what we want? Your visions are completely subjective, plus you could actually just lie and tell us we'd like it." Esme said. "Just because you can see the future doesn't mean we always need to go with it, Alice. We need to make our own mistakes."

"It's one thing to tell us if we're in danger, if someone may figure us out, if the sun will be out. That's important information that we need. We don't need you making decisions for us." Carlisle finished.

"You never complained before." She seethed. "It's all your fault." She pointed at me. "If you had just taken my facts into consideration, I wouldn't have to tell you how wrong you were."

I had just about enough, and decided to speak up.

"It has nothing to do with me, Alice. What facts are you talking about, anyways? My wedding? Are you still going to insult me like that?"

"I'm not insulting you, I'm saying all you've chosen for your wedding isn't up to standards."

"Whose standards? Yours?" I tried to control my tone of voice. "Did you ever think to, oh I don't know, ask me if that was what I wanted? No, right, because you don't know me, Alice."

"You're my best friend, of course I know you."

"No, you aren't, and no, you don't. The time I spent in the States... I was not myself. I was a shell, just trying to live another day. It was probably why I was so submissive. I don't remember much of my time there at all.

"I am not like that, though. I am not one to let people make decisions for me, and you would know that if you had paid attention when we came back here, and when I got my sister back.

"My family will _always _take precedence over you, Alice. I'm not saying this to be mean, but we've been through a lot together, and you can't seem to understand that.

"My sisters, my mother, my friends, _they_ know me. Edward knows me. That is why they're helping me with my wedding, because they know what I want. I don't care at all if you think it's wrong because it's _my_ wedding."

"It's Edward's wedding too." She defied.

"Yes, and did you take the time to ask him what _he_ thought of your _opinions_? He has been helping us with everything, he has a say in everything.

"You need to understand something. I don't like being told I'm wrong, but I can admit to mistakes. I'm sorry you thought I was as easy to control as I was in Forks. That does not give you the right to do it, you know.

"You are not my best friend. My best friends never, _ever_ kept on criticizing me on the way I look, dress or act. They don't care if I want a purple wedding at my grandma's backyard. They support me and help me make it real. They don't feel the need to change my clothes, they don't force opinions down my throat and they respect me.

"You need to control every little thing in your life. That's fine, as long as it doesn't affect others. I do not like to be treated like that, and I just can't forgive you for all you've done this past year. If it had been only with me, maybe, but you messed with my little sister.

"She had just been found after spending a year in a dark cellar with barely any food. She needed constant reassurance and you played with her feelings. Who does that? Who can do something so cruel because _they're jealous?"_

"I was jealous, okay? She had all your attention all the time, and you wouldn't even consider doing things with me. I hated it. So yes, I took it out on her, she was taking away my friend." Alice reasoned.

"No, Alice, you were taking your friend away. Your actions made me see how far you'd go to get my attention, and I didn't like it. Of course my _baby _sister had all my attention, she was sick! She needed help, she still does. Can't you see that?"

Everyone else was looking at me in shock. I wouldn't allow anyone to walk all over me anymore.

"I'm glad it's all out in the open." Carlisle broke the silence. "Alice, if you keep acting like that, you are just going to drive people away. We don't want that to happen, honey."

"Fine." She sighed. "Whatever, I'll keep my opinions to myself."

We could tell she wasn't sorry for anything she said or did, but if she was willing to change, maybe in the future I could think about forgiving her.

"Great." Carlisle tried to act enthusiastically. "How about we talk about everything else? We discussed things a little while we were with the Tonks', and we should include everyone."

"So you talked about us behind our backs?" Rosalie pointed out.

"No, Rose." Esme soothed her. "Edward talked to us about his problems and feelings, and what his thoughts were with this... situation. We didn't talk about anyone that was not present at the moment."

"Why are you so mad, Rose?" Carlisle asked.

Rosalie had been warming up to me. She had helped me out a few times in school, and I truly thought she was changing her opinion of me.

Rose shrugged. "I'm not mad, I just don't understand why we needed all this over something so insignificant."

"It's not insignificant, and you know it. Rosalie, things can't always go your way. As we told Alice, some attitudes need changing. We're no longer going with what both of you decide just to make it easier on us. You're both a bit too old to be throwing tantrums all the time. Sometimes things happen that we don't like, but we have to learn to let it go and move on." Carlisle said.

"Everyone in here is at fault. We all let some behaviors go without talking it out, and it became a habit we should eradicate now. Edward made a good point when we talked." He continued. "We don't exactly act as a family. We live together but we don't know each other all that well. There are so many things we still need to learn, but we were all too cautious in the beginning."

"Emmett," Carlisle smiled at his son, "I know you are very free spirited, but sometimes your jokes go a bit too far. We enjoy your sense of humor, just stop for a while and think about some things you say. Just... be a little more sensitive to others' feelings."

"Sorry, Dad." Emmett smiled. "Sometimes the moment is just so perfect and..."

"And you'll watch what you say." Esme finished the sentence.

"Okay, Ma. I'm sorry if I hurt anyone." Emmett just smiled once more and waved, breaking a little of the tension that built up. I smiled at him, glad he could listen and not argue back.

"Jasper."

He sat up straighter.

"I know you don't feel part of the family most of the time." Esme stated a bit sadly. "And that you stay with us mostly because of Alice, but I would like that to change if you're willing."

"I'm..." Jasper closed his mouth, sighed loudly and tried again. "I'm sorry, Esme. I just never actually had a family before and I'm afraid I don't know how to completely be part of one.

"When we first arrived, I stayed for Alice. I did grow to like everyone, but I never let myself get too involve. The fact that everyone kept looking after me as if I would simply slaughter a whole town was unnerving and a bit undeserving.

"I know I don't have the best track record, but the lack of trust put me down. Don't come telling me you trust me, because I can feel it." He silenced everyone who opened their mouths to protest.

"Bella didn't feel that way." Alice glared at him. "I'm sorry, honey, but it's true. She did open everyone's eyes to what was happening with us. We talked about this when you first blew up at her, Alice. I told you that your actions would only hurt you in the end, but it seems like you didn't want to listen.

"I love you, you are the sole reason I agreed to stay with the Cullens, but I cannot stand to see you self-destruct like this. I will do anything in my power to make you happy, but I decided I wanted some of that myself.

"So, yes, Esme, I want to try to actually be a part of this family. I want to learn how to trust everyone and get y'all to trust me in return. Just because I'm newer to your lifestyle does not mean I can't control myself. And if I have to prove myself to you, I will, no matter what."

"You're doing just fine to me, Jasper." I replied without thinking, ducking my head down right away and he laughed.

"Thanks, Bella. And thank you for all you have done for us so far. I mean, letting us into your world, letting us know this whole other side of the supernatural is just fascinating, and I never got the chance to thank you for that."

"Oh." I blushed a bit. "It's no problem. No matter what, I consider you family, and there was no way I could survive a whole year without seeing Edward. I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves, though." I replied.

"Oh, we are." Edward said.

"What about you, Carlisle?" Rosalie interrupted. "You said we were all at fault, but so far the three of you didn't say anything about yours."

Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Well, I am sorry I let things get this far. I am also guilty of sometimes distracting myself with work so I don't need to face some problems. I know I do it, even though most of the time I don't realize until later. So I'll try to focus more on our time and face all problems head on instead of hiding behind my job."

Everyone was looking at him in a sort of trance. Rosalie was beyond shocked, and my guess was that she wasn't expecting Carlisle to admit to anything.

"I'm also too lenient about things, and like Carlisle, I hide behind my renovations instead of facing my problems. I feel like you don't see me as a mother most of the time, and it just makes me sad that I failed yet again." Esme confessed.

"Again?" I couldn't help but ask.

She smiled sadly at me. "My son died and I did nothing to help, Bella."

I nodded, understanding immediately.

"I'm sorry." I offer.

She smiled once again before continuing. "I just feel like we drifted apart, we used to be much better at communicating." She didn't say it out loud, but I could almost guess she meant before they met Alice and Jasper, or even Rosalie and Emmett.

I lifted my shield for a moment and showed Edward what I was thinking. After recovering from the shock of hearing my mind, he nodded, letting me know I was correct.

Edward did see Carlisle and Esme as their parents, and from the beginning when it was just the three of them they were better at being a family.

"Edward?" Esme encouraged him to speak.

He sighed. "I feel like I never really knew you all. Granted, I can hear minds, so I didn't need to ask the questions, but I still don't know much. We never really sat down and just talked about ourselves. We never defined who we were to each other, except when we needed to for school. We play a part when we're with humans, but we never stop once we're home.

"Living with Bella has changed me. I don't want our family to act this way or that way for the sake of a cover story. I want to feel like I could depend on you and not doubt myself or our relationships. I wish we could all get past all this before my wedding day. I really don't want anyone mad at me or Bella on what's supposed to be our happiest day.

"I also know I can close myself off most of the time, but we're working on that." He looked at me. "It just never felt right to open up because, no matter what, I was always the one left behind in the end; the one that went out at night alone to give everyone else privacy.

"I never made an effort, but no one else did as well. I always knew what was on everyone's minds, but no one asked what was going on in mine. So maybe I isolated myself, knowing way more than I should about things I just wouldn't know otherwise. This gift made me retreat into myself, and yes, it took my Bella to bring me out.

"We're all at fault here. We never really tried, we just went with the flow. We pretended for the humans, but the façade never crumbled at home. We don't have to hide anymore, we're living in a place where people know and _accept_ us for who we are. I think it's time we do as well.

"You'll always be my family, no matter what, but maybe we should all sit on this for a few days before more harsh words are spoken."

He said it all with such calmness, I couldn't help but smile. He was learning to control his temper.

"Don't forget Bella's uncle is out there, so be careful." He concluded before making to get up.

"Wait." Rosalie stopped him. "Doesn't Bella get a say in this as well?" She asked.

Her mood swings were driving me insane. Was she a friend or not? I couldn't decide.

"What do I have to say?" I asked. "I've known you for a very short time, and didn't think my actions would bring us here today.

"For half the time we've known each other, I had to lie about a lot of things. I know you all understand better than anyone, but during that time I was not myself. I'm apologizing for deceiving you, even without intention. We all saw how different it was back in the US, as opposed to how I am here.

"As I said, it's not in me to be submissive and just take everyone's words for it. I know what I like and dislike, and nothing will change that." I took a deep breath. "We'll be part of your family soon, and even though I can't forgive some actions, maybe we could just try to get along. If not for me, then for Edward." I looked at him.

"Because I love him, and I'm not going anywhere, so it'd just be better to everyone if some things were just ignored for the time being. I am _not_ saying we're going to go back to acting like the best of friends, but cutting out with the hostility would be great."

I held in the sarcasm at the end, but looked pointedly at Alice when I said it.

"That was all we had to say." Edward actually got up this time, pulling me along with him. "We're going back to Bella's house until we have to go back to Hogwarts."

He went on to tell them he'd pick them up in a couple of days so we could go back to school.

When we left the house, the heavy atmosphere vanished and a huge weight seemed to lift from Edward's shoulder.

"I love you." He stated, kissing me soundly on the lips.

Esme and Carlisle were behind us in no time, and Edward drove us back to my mother's quickly and quietly. It felt good to be home.

"Bella?" I heard someone call me. "Where were you just now?" Edward asked as I lifted my head from the train window.

"Just thinking." I replied.

He just kissed my head before going back to what he was doing. The meeting was very hard on him, and he was still brooding over it. I guess he just thought it would all be fine once it was over, but that didn't happen.

Rosalie and Emmett were their normal selves once we met up at the train station, but everyone could feel the tension around Jasper and Alice. Obviously Jasper could project the feelings but it was just palpable enough without him doing anything.

Jealousy could drive even the most friendly person to insanity. That was what I had called Alice in my mind after that day. She had lost herself due to jealousy. I know it was harsh, but so was manipulating events to hurt someone else.

Edward and I agreed on not talking about pregnancy and babies before we got back to Hogwarts. We could not be sure if Alice was looking into our future or not, but we decided on ignoring the subject completely until we were safe inside the castle.

It felt as if all our lives revolved around the 'talk' for a while.

"Maybe you should change?" Edward once again brought me back from my musings. "We'll be there soon."

I simply nodded as he and the other guys left so we could put our uniforms on. It seemed like no time had passed as we slowed down and stopped at Hogsmeade station.

It was another blink of the eye and I was sitting in the Great Hall having dinner with my friends. Once we headed towards our common room, I felt like I could really breathe again.

"I'll stay down here catching up on a few things." Edward told me. "If you need anything just come and get me, okay?" I could only nod. "I love you, my Bella."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "I love you, too, and thank you for everything you did today. I'll see you in the morning."

The weeks went on fast, days blurring together. January came and went and soon it was time for Quidditch once again.

We were supposed to play Ravenclaw on our first game, but they changed the schedule, and just now we were going against them.

We practiced every free time we got, going over plays and strategies over and over again. Ginny and I would hound Eloise every chance we had to see if she agreed with some changes here and there.

Because of the tension surrounding my family, I was putting all my effort into this game, trying to just blow off some steam without hurting anyone.

It wasn't hard to notice how the whole family dynamic had changed during the holiday break. I had talked to Hermione and Ginny more than once about what was happening, and Vivi helped me a lot as well.

We all kept on talking about my wedding, owling Dora whenever we thought of something new.

Alice was behaving better while in school. Maybe the whole conversation actually helped after all, if only to open her eyes and show her that people wouldn't always bend to her wishes just because she said so.

Taking a deep breath, I returned to my task at hand.

I mount my broom as we hear our names being announced and soon I fly up to the sky, ready for the game.

* * *

_I'm sorry it's not my best work, I know that. I just wanted to give you something. _

_I recently became completely enthralled with the Once Upon a Time show/fandom and didn't want to mix up characters. As I said, I'm very easily distracted. _

_Please, review?_


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